PODCAST Archives -

April 18, 2018April 17, 2018

Women Who Write Books & Blogs an Interview with Beverly Powers

Most of you know that I started blogging as a way to fill a void after the death of my grandmother, who had raised my sister, Gloria and myself in the projects of New Rochelle, NY with limited funds because she was a maid.

However, we never felt poor, quite the opposite, as my grandmother gave us everything that we ever needed and a few things that we wanted but never to spoil us. She did this at the age of 55, after raising 6 kids to adulthood, and we three had a great relationship.

After I graduated from Delaware State College I taught school, 1st and 3rd grades, but never made enough money to support an apartment, a car note and food! Anywho, I was frugal, which I had learned from my grandmother so we always shopped discount or thrifted, as a matter of fact, my sister was employed by Goodwill at the time of her death which was untimely as she was only 29 years old.

Gloria’s birthday was April 10th and had she lived, she would have been 55 and not a day goes by that I don’t think of and miss her terribly, please read my dedication to her on a previous blog post.

Well after my grandmother passed at the age of 98 in 2009, I was still very thrifty with my shopping and social media was in its infancy of how we shared our daily lives, at first it was on Facebook, then YouTube and then finally blogging. I loved to write and had been doing so since childhood so it was very natural for me.

Long story short, my blog was discovered by Ronni Cohen, Executive Director at the Delaware Financial Literacy Institute and then I started teaching blogging for them at local libraries. Now here we are 6 years later and I am still teaching, however, no longer for free, but at DelTech Community Colleges and I also offer one-on-one training sessions as part of my business ABlake Enterprises.

Eventually, I want to write a book, but haven’t gotten there yet, however, I have many friends who have including Podcast guest, Beverly Powers. Click the pic below to listen to my interview with Beverly on how she got started writing, first Children’s books and then novels. Beverly also started a blog and explained how she gets the inspiration from God to write her posts.

Let’s Chat > Are you interested in turning your blog into a book or just writing a book?

April 4, 2018April 1, 2018

Turn a Layoff Into an Opportunity By Turning Your Passion Into a Profession

Early Retirement…Resource Action…Downsized…Laid Off…or Fired, it doesn’t matter the term you use, when you leave a full time job on somebody elses’s terms after many years of hard work and dedication it’s always a time of anxiety and uncertainty.

However, if you turn that OBSTACLE into your next OPPORTUNITY, make that STUMBLING BLOCK a BUILDING BLOCK and turn that TEST into your next TESTIMONY everything will be okay.

Last week’s Podcast, Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger, my guest, Shamma Casson and I talked about the next phase after our layoffs from Corporate America.

According to Monster.com there are also several things that you should do before you leave the office for the last time and I will list the first two below, however, I ask that you click this link to hear the entire Podcast and then leave a comment as to any suggestions you have for others facing a layoff or a resource action.

5 Steps to Take When Your Are Being Laid Off according to Monster.com

Then, follow these five steps to make sure you’re leaving the building with your dignity — and everything you need to land on your feet.

Don’t Leave Without Your Contacts

If you don’t have a backup of your contacts at home, the very first thing to do is to get your contacts, says Ryan. “If you’re in the conference room and being seen out the door, you obviously can’t,” she says. “But if they let you go back to your desk and sit down — and most companies will let you do that today — save your contacts. If there’s someone hovering, just say, ‘Look, I’m just downloading my Outlook contacts.'”

Your contacts are paramount to jump-starting your new job search. “You want to write to each of your contacts and let them know that you’ve been laid off and give them a paragraph about what you’re looking for,” Ryan says. Your network will immediately start looking for work for you — while you’re distracted dealing with other tasks.

Don’t Leave Without a Layoff Letter

“Get something in writing about this termination before you leave the premises,” says Ryan, a former human resources executive. Unemployment is not retroactive, so you should go to your local unemployment office within 48 hours, and having such a letter will help.

“If you walk in with something in writing from your former employer saying that you were laid off and you worked there from this date to that date, it will speed up the processing of your check,” she says. And because most unemployment checks aren’t as much as regular wages, it’s important to bring in as much money as possible as quickly as possible.

Let’s Chat: Have you ever been laid off?

March 23, 2018March 17, 2018

Love You for You Podcast & Book Giveaway

If you didn’t have an opportunity to listen to my recent Podcast entitled, Social Media, Smartphones and Teen Suicides with special guest, Precious Allen, then I invite you to click this link to hear it.

Due to a mix-up with the time zones, Precious called into the show late, but if you are patient and listen until the end of the show, you will hear her interview. Precious shared some intimate details about growing up and dealing with some heavy duty stuff including suicide attempts during her early years.

If you listen to the entire podcast then you will know that Precious also offered to donate a copy of her book for a Giveaway, and with Spring Break right around the corner, this seemed like a perfect time to start the contest.

The only requirement to enter this Rafflecopter Giveaway is to listen to the Podcast then leave a comment about the interview with Precious. The contest ends on Good Friday, March 30th.

Contest is open to USA Residents Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

March 21, 2018March 21, 2018

Social Selling & Tips for Realtors

Do you remember, “back in the day” when home buyers would simply open a newspaper to look for properties for sale or look up names of realtors in a phone book?

Well, there are people that still use the newspapers but not a phone book in their search, however, home-buyers today are definitely online looking for homes and other pieces of property.

Therefore, it is imperative for any real estate agent to use social media in marketing their businesses and listings. However, because any realtor can create a Facebook or Instagram account, it’s not always clear how to use these social media platforms as a tool to send the right message to the right people at the right time.

There are realtors who are still using old-school advertising tactics like billboards, bus bench signs and making cold calls, but most home buyers no longer search this way, in fact, many times they simply ignore it.

If a realtor wants to generate more real estate business, then he or she must be where their potential clients are and that is online. The largest demographic of home buyers in the United States are Millennials (or “Generation Y”) they have a median age of just 29 years. I remember when my husband and I purchased our first home, I too, was 29 years old.

On Sunday, my Podcast guest, R.K. Wilson, a Licensed Realtor® Myers Realty and I talked about a few tips for using social media to engage with clients and below are just a few.

Instagram

Instagram is widely considered the perfect social media platform for realtors, There are more than 700 million users on Instagram.

Instagram is very user-friendly and it is mainly accessed on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, which leads to higher levels of engagement.

In promoting listings on Instagram, realtors should remember that photos tell the story on this social media platform. It is very important to post beautiful images on Instagram. Sharing 15-second video clips that showcase a house up for sale will also be a part of a winning strategy.

Facebook

Without a doubt, Facebook is the king of social media with more than 2 billion users worldwide. It’s easy enough for anyone to set up an account. But how should a real estate agent share content on Facebook?

Remember to use the 80/20 rule; 80% of posts should be for the customer while 20% should be about the business and social selling. Agents should post about happenings in and around the communities like local charity events, school-related activities or new store openings, etc., because this type of community engagement helps to position you as a thought leader, rather than just a seller.

People are buying more than a home, they are buying into communities, schools, churches, events and will be making a lifetime of memories.

Twitter

It may not be as widely used as Facebook, but Twitter is still a social media platform that real estate agents should be on. The volume of tweets will greatly boost a realtor’s exposure. The more tweets a real estate agent sends out, the more leads can be generated.

In addition to sharing listings, there are other types of content or pieces of information worth tweeting, like advice on moving as well as tips for staging and upgrading homes.

Real estate investors should use the platform to connect with local business people, brands and influencers. Hashtags are also very important, as people use them to search for a particular topic on Twitter.

LinkedIn

When it comes to professional networking online, LinkedIn is the top platform. Agents and investors should use LinkedIn to establish their professional reputation online and gain much-needed exposure to local banks, investors and business owners , if you’re selling commercial property.

Sharing content including photos of new and exciting projects is one way to do so. A social media-savvy realtor also posts relevant and interesting reports, articles and blog posts and videos as well. If you want to hear more tips on social selling please listen to the Podcast interview with R.K. Wilson, then leave a comment below.

Let’s Chat > Which social media platform do you use most often when searching for a product or service?

March 14, 2018March 13, 2018

Are You An Influencer & FREE Passes to “Put Your Dreams To The Test” Mastermind Class

My fellow bloggers know what I am talking about when I use the term influencers or influential marketing, however, it’s not just bloggers that are influencers, we are all influencers, and it’s not just mothers, fathers and teachers, it is your neighbors, co-workers, church and organization members, even our kids. Therefore, as an influencer we need to be cognizant of how we represent ourselves as there is always somebody watching.

“Everyone is a leader because everyone influences someone.”

Whether or not you know it, you are influencing people everyday not only with your words but also with your actions. When you walk into a room, before even opening your mouth, what are you saying with your eyes, what is your body language and then how are you conversing?

When you are out in public shopping how are you treating the sales clerks or business owners? Do you read their name badges and greet them by their name? Now If you know me, then you know that I am a very positive person who tries to leave an impression that won’t soon be forgotten.

For example, last week, I was at the King Of Prussia mall with a co-worker and we stopped for lunch at Subway. There were two women working the shop, one was assigned to making sandwiches and the other was working the register, so when sandwich maker asked me what I wanted and how I wanted it prepared, I immediately lit up, smiled and said, “make it the way you would want it if you were serving it from your own kitchen” and she too smiled, I continued with, “because you know, if you were to come to my house, I would hook you up!”

Needless to say, she hooked up that sandwich, but more importantly, the cashier said, “I wish we had more customers like you – you are upbeat and positive and for that we are grateful.” So in my own way, I not only influenced the sub maker to hook up my sandwich, but I also influenced the cashier to take on a positive attitude which she may pass along to the next customer. So think about it, how are your words or body language influencing others on a daily basis in every situation?

Who remembers growing up and having your mom or dad saying, “Birds of a feather flocks together” or growing up idolizing an athletic and trying to be like them – remember “Be Like Mike” Well you don’t have to be a parent an athletic or even a person in position to be an influencer.

According to an article on Linkedin, Sociologists stated that even the most introverted individual will influence ten thousand other people during his or her lifetime!. That means that all of us are leading in some areas, while in other areas we are being led. No one is excluded from being a leader or a follower. Realizing your potential as a leader is your responsibility. In any given group, there is a prominent influencer.

The prominent leader of any group is quite easily discovered.

In your next social gathering, just observe the people as they gather and if there is an issue is to be decided, who is the person whose opinion seems most valuable?

Who is the one others watch the most when the issue is being discussed?
Who is the one with whom people quickly agree?
Most importantly, who is the one the others follow?

Is it you or is it someone else and what are some of their traits?

“Leadership is influence. Everyone influences someone. How are you leading?”

W. Russell

On this Podcast, Fred Fitszgiles, a Media Professional-Speaker, Coach, Leadership Trainer of The Leadership Movement Mastermind Group and I spoke about how we influence people every day and how people influences us as well – especially Joe Biden and people at Wawa.

Check out the interview because it was fun and at the end, he offered my listeners 3 FREE passes to his next 5 Week Mastermind Series

Let’s Chat > How are you influencing others?

Click this link to reserve a seat in this FREE Virtual Mastermind 5-Week Series hosted by Fred.