2wks until SAFE’s Signature Event & Announcing our 2013 Honorees @mskalyn #motownmom

 

 

SAFE’s 7th Annual Appreciation Event Fundraiser

Friday, June 21, 2013 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the beautifully restored Detroit Historical Museum with a special Afterglow Event immediately following until Midnight

Please join us to congratulate the 2013 SAFE’s 7^th Annual Appreciation Event Award Honorees

Acquisition Award – SAFE Participant: L. J.

Acquisition Award - SAFE Participant: T. A.

Ambassador Award – Tracey Thompson

Ambassador Award - Sylvia Hubbard

B.E.A.C.O.N. Award – Battling Economic Abuse Creating Our Network - Umi (Shelia) Hankins

Christina Lazzana “To dream is to Live” Award – Kimyana Zanye Reece

Collaboration Award – Chacrice Miles, C.E.O. – Transition 1, 2, 3, Inc.

Community Champion Award- Srere Womens Care Fund Grant

SAFE Legacy Award – Voltaire Kendrick

Tickets on sale now for $45 each

Tickets include both the Appreciation Event & the Afterglow

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

SAFE’s 7th Annual Appreciation Event goal is to raise funds which will support our ongoing programs that assist survivors of domestic violence in the Metropolitan Detroit area.

 

Celebrate Int'l Women's Month: Attend Vagina Monologues in #Detroit March 24th while helping SAFE cc: @mskalyn

Reblogged from Motown Writers Network . . . Michigan Literary Network:

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CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKET!

HTTP://vadetroit2013.eventbrite.com

March is International Women's Month and there's is no better time to support, celebrate and appreciate the women in your life in Detroit, while raising money to support our local domestic violence organizations in Metro Detroit.

The Vagina Monologues introduces a wildly divergent gathering of female voices written by Obie Award winning author, Eve Ensler.

Read more… 567 more words

Plz get yr advance tickets this week!

How to Get Started With #SocialMedia – Part 3 of 3 @mombizcoach #motownmom

@mombizcoach

 

To get where you’re going, it’s going to take action. If you find some quiet time to give to your business, here are six steps to get Social Media working for you and your business.

First, determine whether your target audience uses Social Media and which ones they’re on. Join the groups they’re a part of. If your target audience is baby boomers, chances are you need to focus your networking and marketing efforts on the more traditional routes since boomers (in general) aren’t using twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn the way the 20-50 year olds are. If your target is women with school-aged children, chances are they are shopping online and participating in various online groups, discussion boards, and blogs as well as the platforms mentioned above. In marketing, your goal is always to meet your audience where they are. It builds credibility if you move in the same circles they do, and you’ll learn a lot about their wants and needs by doing so.

Second, consider your intention for creating (or beefing up) your online presence. As a mompreneur, it’s great to use Facebook, twitter, myspace and others to keep connected to friends and family. For your professional purposes, you need to be clear on how you want potential clients, partners, and colleagues to know you. Does your current online presence reflect the business image you want out there? The bottom line is that by participating in platforms like twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, you are (officially and unofficially) marketing yourself. What interesting and important things do you want your public to know about you that might help your business grow?

Third, take a good-looking picture of yourself that sets the tone for what you want your connections, friends and followers to know about you. If you’re a yoga instructor, your pic should convey ideas of peace, calm and wellbeing. If you are a marketing consultant, you might do better with a professional image, rather than a shot of you and your dog. Upload it to your computer (100×100 pixels is the best size), and then use it on your various online profiles.

Fourth, if you haven’t already done so, create an account with twitter (microblog), Facebook (social/business networking), LinkedIn (professional networking) and WordPress.com (blog). These are all free, and you can get accounts set up with each of them in just a few minutes. Make sure you upload a picture to go with each of your profiles. Take a moment to write something about yourself on each of the platforms (this is your bio, info, background, or “About” page). Keep it short for now and come back later to add to it, but make sure you write something that will allow potential connections to know a little bit about you. Be sure to include your website or blog url, if you have one, everywhere you can.

Fifth, start adding and sharing valuable content.One of the big rules of using Social Media successfully is to have a philosophy of “giving rather than receiving.” What content (quotes, funny stories, relevant tips, links to interesting articles) can you provide that would be beneficial to your followers? Write or share that, rather than endlessly promoting yourself and your business. If you provide content that others will find valuable, your networks will grow. And as they grow, more people will learn about you and the work you do. And if they like what they’re reading about you, chances are they’ll refer some business your way or purchase something from you themselves.

Sixth, build your networks by connecting with people you find interesting. There are many ways to find these people. Examples include: twitter timeline, LinkedIn Q&A forum, Facebook friends of friends, reading comments made by other bloggers and checking out their profiles, etc. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The important thing is to build a network and then to build your relationships within your network. Again, the best policy is to look for questions/problems you can solve and give your advice or support freely. It’s good karma, and it’s good business to do so.

Article Source: 
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lara_Galloway

How Will I Raise My Children?

Reblogged from The Cultural Columnist:

Three years ago I had been working at a kid’s summer camp as a camp counselor in Parsippany, New Jersey. I was having a bad day.

My boss called me over to his “bench” and asked me what was wrong.

I answered I was sorry for crying but I was having a bad day.

He insisted for me to tell him what was bothering me, in sort of an annoyed tone that indicated he probably didn’t take me seriously.

Read more… 875 more words

How to Make #SocialMedia Work For You – Part 2 of 3 @mombizcoach #motownmom

@MomBizCoach

I’ll bet that your to-do list is looking more like an entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica these days than a few bullet points on a Post-It note. Catching up after the holidays and a tough economic environment mean we’re all probably working harder and longer. Here are the top five ways I think using Social Media can save you time and take tasks off your plate.

 

1. Networking.  You already know that business networking is a marketing method by which business opportunities are created through networks of like-minded business people. When you participate in a business network, you’re able to build new business relationships and generate business opportunities at the same time. Save time and expand your reach by networking online with twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, by writing and commenting on blogs, and by joining affiliate groups. Spend as little as 15 minutes a day updating your profiles with relevant posts or comments, and you are marketing yourself to a self-selecting group of like-minded people who will be more inclined to buy what you offer.
2. Collaborating.  Tired of trying to do it all yourself? Then use your network of friends/followers/connections to brainstorm, get some new ideas or get much-needed feedback on your own ideas. Who in your network is doing something (workshop, sale, community service event, etc.) that you could be a part of? Wouldn’t you both benefit by supporting each other? In the Social Media world, it is both acceptable and expected that you “butt in” to a discussion you find interesting and offer your advice or ask for support. How much faster could you accomplish one of your goals if you got some help from your huge Social Network?
3. Learning. I used to Google something when I needed to know more. Now, I twitter. While Google gives me gazillions (my four-year-old’s word) of websites that match my search criteria, I still have to sift through a bunch of them in hopes of finding an answer to my problem or question. With twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, I can ask a question like: “What criteria should I consider when hiring a VA (Virtual Assistant)?” In a few minutes (or even seconds), I get several replies from my networks that directly answer my question. The answers come to me, rather than my having to sniff them out. This saves me a ton of time!
4. Finding new clients. We’re all in business to make money, so we’ve got to find new clients/customers who are willing to give us their money in return for our valuable products and services. If you have a new product, class, service or huge sale going on, why not invite a gazillion of your network buddies to come buy something from you? With a quick tweet like: “Check out our holiday sale: 25% off and free shipping @ 
   http://www.yourwebsite.com
   ,” you’ve just given a bunch of new people the chance to become your adoring new customers. How fast can you type?
5. Getting support. Like I mentioned above, I was stuck for a couple of weeks and couldn’t make myself get this newsletter done. Well, I’m almost finished with 45 minutes to spare before my self-imposed deadline of 2:30pm. I reached out to my network and asked for help, and I got it. Sometimes I need to vent, or I want to find out if anyone else has ever experienced a situation that I have, etc. I use my network to get the inspiration, encouragement, “atta-girl’s” and “me too’s” when I need them. Sometimes this is the exact thing I need to get back on track and do what must be done.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2000427

 

If you need help getting started using Social Media, or if you’d like to follow a mom entrepreneur who is finding all kinds of ways to leverage her time so she spends less of it on her business, you can follow Lara Galloway, The Mom Biz Coach, on twitter at 
http://www.twitter.com/mombizcoach
. Details about how she supports other Work at Home Moms through life and business coaching programs can be found at 
http://www.mombizcoach.com
.

Article Source: 
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lara_Galloway

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2000427

 

Why #SocialMedia is Critical 4Mom Entrepreneur Businesses – Part 1 via @mombizcoach #motownmom

@mombizcoach

Those of you who have spent any time around me, or on the phone with me, or reading my blog have heard me get a little preachy when it comes to Social Media and its marketing capabilities. Especially now, when the economy is giving us “the gift” of more time to plan, organize and market our businesses, I’d like to help you get some great exposure for the hard work that you do. For FREE!

As I mentioned above, I’ve been busy. Yahoo! In fact, I’m thrilled to have just received another invitation to be interviewed by a talk show hostess this morning.

How did all this happen?

I didn’t cold call anyone. I didn’t take out a large print ad in the local magazines and newspapers. I didn’t pay for specialized SEO for my websites. I didn’t pay for a booth at a networking event. I didn’t send out a press release to anyone. In fact, I didn’t pay for anything and I was probably wearing my pajamas in the comfort of my own home when my marketing was working for me. And rather than “pushing” my marketing message out to the world, I’m “attracting” an audience who is interested in what I do.

So what is Social Media? The easiest way for me to think about it is to compare it to a Chamber of Commerce or a small business networking group (like BNI). All of us entrepreneurs know that marketing is important, but we seldom choose to allocate large portions of our budget to it. Instead, we often choose the “free” marketing route of appearing at various business networking events, introducing ourselves to other small business owners, exchanging business cards, and giving and asking for referrals.

I did this for the first two or three years of my business. But then, when I moved across the border to Windsor, and had no babysitters for these morning Chamber/BNI meetings, I started seeing just how much these “free marketing” opportunities were costing me in time and headaches. As a mom of three kids aged six and under, attending a weekly 7am coffee at the local chapter of BNI simply doesn’t work. So how can we mom business owners effectively network, give and get referrals, and in general get the world “buzzing” about our businesses?
Enter Social Media! You may also have heard some other terms associated with it, like Social Networking, Social Marketing, Viral Marketing, etc.

Here’s the skinny:

Social Media is a fast, professional, easy and effective way to market your business. And in my own humble opinion, it beats using the traditional methods (print ads, radio ads, tv ads, booths at tradeshows, etc.) since it is 1) free and 2) working for you when you’re not even awake!

Some examples of Social Media I’m using are LinkedIn, Facebook, twitter and my WordPress.com blog. There are countless others out there, but I’m going to focus on the ones I use. Each of these sites allows me to set up an account for free. I create a profile of my business (including my bio/resume sometimes, or my background and interests, or my expertise on a certain topic), upload a professional photo of myself, and include links to all my other sites (websites, blogs, LinkedIn, Facebook and twitter accounts).

All of these media allow me to build my online network by making connections (LinkedIn), inviting more friends (Facebook), increasing my followers and the people I follow (twitter), and offering an RSS/subscription service (blogs). Just as you would build your professional network via business card exchanges, referrals, attending networking events, etc., you build your community of people you are interested in and who are interested in you. Unlike traditional networking and marketing, you don’t have to hire a babysitter, dry clean your suit, and spend time commuting to and from your home or office. In fact, I do most of my social networking just two or three minutes at a time with at least one child on my lap.

As a coach, I’m in the services business. I don’t have a product (other than myself) to sell (yet!). My intention when I market my business is to get people to know, like and trust me. People like to buy from people they know, like and trust. Of course, you can use Social Media platforms to socialize with friends and family, but the reason I use it for business is because I find the online business community to be extremely approachable. I am able to introduce myself and be introduced to others by typing a quick message like, “Hi! I love your work. Look forward to learning from you!”

In very little time, I usually get a message back. There: a virtual handshake that’s informal, yet powerful. And if this new contact is interested in learning more about me, s/he can do so via my profile, which in turn links them to my websites, blogs and other Social Media platforms. After reading about me in these platforms, a potential client is pre-qualified to do business with me since I explain how I work, what I offer and what I charge on my website. So you see, I can end up with a pre-qualified sales lead as a result of typing 11 words and hitting send. How easy is that?

And it can be even easier. Since most Social Networking platforms (like LinkedIn, Facebook and twitter) allow all of my friends/connections to see who I’m connected to and to read my posts, I often get messages from people who are “friends of my friends” who I never contacted directly. This passing of information continues to spread, like a virus (hence the term “viral marketing”) to all of my friends, then to their friends, and so on. And it travels fast!

So this is where I’ll end my first installation about Social Media and why you should be using it to promote your business. I hope you’ll take a peak at some of the options out there. I’ll go into greater depth about how it works (including some examples) and offer some resources for more information in the next two installments of this article. If you have questions, please ask. I’m excited to help you grow your business!

Article Source: 
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lara_Galloway

Daily Deal: 6 Customized Storybooks $15

6 Customized Storybooks $15 6 Customized Printable Storybooks from My Own Story for just $15! ($30 value) Today’s deal allows your child to create six, one-of-a-kind storybooks. Makes a great gift for a child or a loved one, since this customizable story comes from the heart. There are holiday-themed stories, as well as books about travel, potty-training, new foods, allergies, working parents, grandparents, getting a pet, moving, a new baby, visiting the dentist, and many more. 1-Year of Meal Planning PLUS a Preprinted Grocery List Notepad for just $18! ($25 value) Here’s a kitchen essential for holiday meal-planning – as well as the perfect gift for a busy family: A full year’s worth of dinners planned out for you! My Family Meal Planner features weekly menus to please every palate – from light to kid-friendly, vegetarian to crock-pot meals, and more! Learn more… LAST DAY! Free coupon for 30% off the Borrow Baby Couture Private Clearance Sale Website! This free coupon is good for 30% off any item in their special clearance sale where prices are already discounted up to 85%! We’re talking labels like Christian Dior, Chloe, Fendi, Versace and Stella McCartney! Learn more… NFL Family Car Decal Set for $10 + Free Shipping! ($25 value) Show off your team pride with these NFL family automotive decals. This fun set includes 6 individual family themed decals – mom, dad, son, daughter, dog and cat – decked out in the logo of their favorite team. All 32 NFL teams are available! Learn more… iPhone wallet clutch for just $8! ($29.95 value) This unique clutch functions as a sturdy, protective mobile phone case and also as a high-capacity, genuine wallet. The wallet holds your money, credit cards and phone – life’s essentials!Learn more… $15 for $40 worth of All-Natural Nutritional Supplements! GROH promotes thicker, fuller, healthier hair & nail growth. FlexSANO offers joint and muscle support. Mushroom supplements promote healthy joints, reducing inflammation, boosting the immune system, increasing stamina and reducing stress and anxiety. Learn more… Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook

Grinding My Gears: Papa’s Pizza @EatPapas in #Detroit has just lost a customer! #MotownMom

I understand people make mistakes and I’m easy going enough to not even care when they do make a mistake, but lack of personal attention when they do make a mistake and I bring it to their attention really grinds my gears.

 

I’ve made a conscious decision not to go back to Papa’s Pizza anymore because I’m just that angry with them over repeat lack of getting my order right and doing more to piss me off about the matter as well.

 

Now I know Papa’s Pizza probably doesn’t care. I may spend 15 to 25 dollars a month in the store since they opened in the New Center Area of Detroit, but dangit, I’d go order from the nasty Happy’s Pizza up the street just to be stubborn about my dollars. At least I’d get my order right.

 

I haven’t written a letter of disapproval to a company in a long time and decided to share my letter I wrote o Papa’s Pizza website after just being really frustrated about the whole situation.

Here it is: 

 

Papa Johns Pizza (Photo credit: powerplantop)

 

I was truly in love with Papas Pizza when it moved over to the Henry Ford New Center Area in Detroit.

 

My family used to go to Happy’s but Papas Pizza was so much better tasting than them.

 

But the last two times I’ve come to Papas Pizza I’ve been filled with frustration and lots of disappointments.

 

First incident was last month when I ordered 10 whole wings and when I got home, I received 10 wing dings. Even though that’s what the girl charged me for, I made sure I specified 10 whole wings on the phone when I did the order twice because I remember they had done it before but I just thought it was a simple mistake.

 

I didn’t complain back to the manager because I was just too hungry and thought yet again I should be just satisfied that the food is much better than happy’s pizza.

 

So last night, I called in for 10 whole wings again. I didn’t check the box because it was so late and I had a migraine. I did check the receipt and they charged me to 10 whole wings.

 

When I get home to eat and share with my kids, I see only five whole wings in the box.

 

I called back immediately to let them know I didn’t get the right amount and the cashier took my number and said “Justin” would make sure I was taken care of in the morning for lunch. I was fine with that.

 

Since I was sharing I had to go to bed hungry, headachey and just miserable.

 

On lunch, I went to Papas Pizza (the one located on W Grand Blvd) and ordered the credited five pieces of whole wings about 11:50am. The cashier told me it would be fifteen minutes.

 

I sat for almost ONE WHOLE HOUR for FIVE PIECES OF CHICKEN. The cashier went back to the kitchen three times to ask for the order. By 12:30, she just came to the front disappointed and told me, “Ma’am I don’t know when they’re going to be ready.”

 

As if I had no where to be!

 

I didn’t walk out of there until 12:47 with the box of wings and all the cashier said was I’m sorry. I asked was the manager aware I waited an hour and she only shrugged before she disregarded me and started helping me with the next customer.

 

Sigh… I’m truly, truly disappointed at the continuous lack of mistakes in orders and this last incident just killed me internally and made me not want to go to Papas Pizza anymore.

 

I just wanted you to know how you lost a customer. A truly valuable customer that used to spend at least twenty five dollars a month at your place. I know that isn’t a lot, but I’d rather put up with bad pizza then put up with the frustration of not getting my order right and a lack of customer service which I felt I wasn’t a valued customer.

 

Have a good day and be blessed in all your business endeavors without me.

 

I’m also going to post this to my blog, foursquare facebook and twitter with over 12,000 subscribers in the Metro Detroit area; just to let you know as well.

 

I’m glad they make it so easy to complain, but for now, I can do without being frustrated over food. It’s not that difficult folks.

Sigh… maybe I needed to cut back anyway on fast food for the children to absolutely none.

 

3rd Annual @ARISE_Detroit! Neighborhoods Rising Summit #Detroit #event #MotownMom

ARISE Detroit! Third Annual Neighborhoods Rising Summit October 22, 2012 WHERE ARE THE ANSWERS FOR DETROIT? ASK YOUR NEIGHBORS SOLUTIONS CAN BE FOUND AT THIRD ANNUAL NEIGHBORHOODS RISING SUMMIT Click here for free registration. By Luther Keith Executive Director Detroit is a city full of smart, bright people who are getting things done, even if you don’t often hear about it. That’s one of the great appeals of participating in the third annual ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Rising Summit on Nov. 3 at the downtown campus of Wayne County Community College District. You will hear from real people on the front lines of change, facing and, in many cases, overcoming the challenge of blight, crime, neighborhood foreclosures and other challenges. The summit’s 10 workshops offer an excellent opportunity to network, learn, as well as to teach others what’s working in your neighborhood. We are all in this together. So come on down and hear from Kim Tandy about what is being done by University Commons to revitalize business along the Avenue of Fashion in northwest Detroit, or how they nurture business into southwest Detroit from Theresa Zajac of the Southwest Detroit Business District Association. Or learn about how to create your own neighborhood Farmers Markets from Fiona Ruddy of Eastern Market or how to do Urban Farming from Tepfirah Rushdan. At the Neighborhood Organizing workshop, you’ll be able to hear from Felecia Andrews, a woman with no grants and no formal organization, who has pulled together friends and relatives to cut lawns and board homes all summer long in city neighborhoods. There will be also Eddie Connor, a motivational speaker, who will share information on his Boys to Books program to promote literacy in the Engaging Youth workshop, and Al Taylor, who has been doing amazing things with young people as part of his Peace Project program. Did you know there is a mini-grant funding program for groups looking to fight blight, crime and more? You can hear more about it from the Grant Making Workshop featuring Dalton Roberson of Michigan Community Resources. These, and more, are the answers you have been looking for. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of the change. Looking forward to seeing you there. To register for the summit as a participant, please click here. To register your organization for the summit as an exhibitor, please click here. There is a $25 exhibitor registration fee per organization. Register TODAY! http://www.arisedetroit.org ARISE Detroit! 313-921-1955 ARISE Detroit! | 5555 Conner Avenue | Suite 1233 | Detroit | MI | 48213

5 Jobs Moms Can Do From Home via @Mashable #MotownMom

5 Jobs Moms Can Do From Home A U.S. Census report released this month shows that the number of people who work from has soared by 41% in the past decade. These findings demonstrate that there is hope for moms (and dads!) who prefer the flexibility to work from home while raising children. Which leads to this question: What kinds of professional job opportunities are there for telecommuting parents? Generally, parents want a job with little to no travel keeps them closer to home in time for after school pick up, and preferably a position that doesn’t involve risking one’s life by jumping from a capsule to break the sound barrier … there have to be easier ways. SEE ALSO: The Perks of Working From Hom… Continue reading… More About: features, job search series, mashable, work from home