Life Is Too Short!!!

Arrggh! First Marvalyn, now Aunt Mary!!

Mary Randa Balster was an extraordinary woman! She was all about Family. Her family always came first. Aunt Mary’s home was warm and relaxed. She opened her arms and her home to everyone that walked through her doors. She made you feel special. Aunt Mary’s love wasn’t conditional. She just loved you because you were you! Not many people are like that.

Aunt Mary always hosted all the holiday celebrations. On average, there were between 30 to 40 or more people at any party. So much food that you just couldn’t help over eating. Oh and all the desserts! Pies! Cookies! Cakes! Then maybe if it were nice out, we would play a little Bacci. But the real fun was after dinner, after the dishes were cleared and we all sat around the table and laughed over old family stories. We would laugh until we cried and our sides hurt.

With her passing, my fear is the family will splinter off and we’ll only see them at weddings and funerals. I don’t know if anyone is up for the task of trying to fill those BIG shoes!

(How 'bout it Suz, you think you're up for it?)

Aunt Mary is back with Uncle Hank now.

We Love You and We Will Miss You Aunt Mary!

~Rosemary


www.MadHattersTeapot.com
www.GreetingCardsB2B.com

Tomorrow may be too late.

Yesterday, my friend, Marvalyn Germany, passed away in her sleep.

Marvalyn had a unique perspective on life and was well, she was quite a pisser!

She had it tough but overcame the crap life tossed her way. Marvalyn married at a very young age to an abusive man. She ultimately left with her children to start a new life. She ran several small businesses before become one of Pittsburgh’s Finest. Marvalyn did find love again with a good, gentle man, Jeffery, who loved her dearly. (We all loved Marvalyn, but how can you not!) Then a job related injury forced her into early retirement.

Marvalyn made me laugh. There isn’t enough laughter in this world.

Now, I am angry.

I am angry with myself.

You see, Marvalyn just had a birthday a couple of weeks ago and we were planning to get together for lunch to celebrate.

First she had to cancel, then I cancelled and we just never found the time to get together as we had planned.

I was planning to call her tomorrow, but it too late now. There is no tomorrow.


Life is too short to let the piddley things get in the way of the relationships that you value.

Pick up the phone and call someone you care about. Invite them out for a coffee or a drink or what ever, just don’t let another day go by.

Tomorrow may be too late.


Farewell my friend! I will miss you Marvalyn!

~Rosemary
www.MadHattersTeapot.com
www.GreetingCardsB2B.com

How A Greeting Card Caught The Attention Of The Mayflower Madam And Launched A Cascade Of New Opportunities!

Having been in Marketing for over twenty years, I thought I knew it all.

Ha!

A few weeks ago, I was on a Dan Kennedy Tele-Seminar presented by none other than Sydney Biddle Barrows, the Former Mayflower Madam.

Now here was an amazing woman! Her life takes a down turn but rather than go run and hide, she embraces it and publishes The Mayflower Madam, which incidentally, is on the must read list of all the top MBA programs. Then she goes on to be one of the top Sales and Marketing consultants!

Now that woman has Eggs! I like that!

As she spoke about selling the Experience, I suddenly understood what it really meant to sell the sizzle, not the steak.

WOW!

Well, I just had just had to send her a Thank You card telling her how much I enjoyed the Tele-seminar and I had the XXX Uncensored Sales Strategies on order.

I choose a card with my favorite piece, Morning Fog Gives Way with the thought that Hey; she just might like my artwork and keep the card on her desk for a few days – or longer!

Now, the note was no great prose. (Which is the main reason I was drawn to the Kennedy concepts, to improve my copywriting skills. My background was more boring technical writing, You know, Step 1 do this, Step 2 do that, etc. So, please bear with me as my dull writing skills develop – but I digress)

Anyway, it was just a simple Thank You note. Three simple lines expressing my appreciation for her presentation.

(Hard to be believe it was just three lines considering how long winded I can be, eh?)

Then She emailed me to Thank Me for taking the time to Thank Her!!!

DOUBLE WOW!

Well, that began a string of emails and a Blonde joke, which she just loved! That exchange culminated into an offer from Sydney to include the joke and a short blurb and link to my newest website www.MadHattersTeapot.com in her Newsletter.

HOLY $#!&

What and Effing Awesome Opportunity!

Ok remember to breath!

How Did This Wonderful Thing Happen!?! (I began hearing the Talking Heads song Once in a Lifetime in my head).

All I did was send a simple greeting card.

MadHattersTeapot.com now has the attention of Sydney Biddle Barrows network! And all because of a simple greeting card.

I wonder where this will lead?


Which leads me to the question: When was the last time You said Thank You, I appreciate what you have brought into my life. As my gift, I invite you to send a Real greeting card to someone special. Someone who has made your life better. Let them know what they mean to you. Who knows how a simple greeting card can affect your life!

Visit www.GreetingCardsB2B.com, turn your speakers on and click the banner. You will be guided through the process of sending a real card. No Risk! No Strings!

(Be sure you have the latest version of Explorer or Firefox as we are using the newest technologies.)

Let me know your stories. I’ll post the best ones on upcoming blogs with links back to your websites.

~Rosemary
Come See What’s Brewing at the www.MadHattersTeapot.com


And you may ask yourself

Where Does That Highway Go?

It’s National Sweater Day on Friday, March 20!

In honor of Mr. Rogers Birthday, March 20, It is National Sweater Day! So put on your sweater and take off those loafers and be someones neighbor today!

Mr. Rogers was one of the first to really encourage all of us to be better people and knew that starting character-based discussions about respect and open-mindedness needed to start early. He was the right man, with the right message, at the right time!

So, won't YOU wear a sweater on Friday, March 20th?

Have you had people who have touched you, not moved you in order to manipulate you, but touch you inside to inside? Take a minute to think of at least one person who helped you to become who you are inside today. Someone who was interested in you for who you really are . . . someone you feel really accepted the essence of your being. Just one minute . . . one minute to think of those who have made a difference in your life. ~Fred Rogers

To Honor of Mr Rogers Birthday, I would like to give a gift of sending a real paper greeting card in the mail to someone special in your life. Send a heart-felt note to someone who has made a difference in your life! No Strings! No Risk!

Go to:
1. www.GreetingCardsB2B.com
2. Turn your speakers on
3. You will be guided through sending a Real paper card!

You Click Send and We Do The Rest!

*Be sure you have the latest browser as we are using the newest technologies.


~Rosemary
Come See What’s Brewing at the www.MadHattersTeapot.com

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood

Top 3 Mistakes of Trade Show Vendors

I spent 10 days at the Pittsburgh Home and Garden at the David L Lawrence Convention Center. Thousands of people wandered through over 1500 exhibitor displays. Many of the vendors met many new prospects and collected tons of new leads while others were dismayed as people scurried down the aisles.

So why were some vendors successful and other were not?

Three common mistakes made are No Plan, No Personality and NO Follow Up!

First, know Why you are there! What is the purpose of exhibiting at this show? Are you introducing a new product? Are you collecting names to build a list? What do you have to do to get the return on your investment?

In other words, Do You Have A Plan? A great display is only half the battle. Start by setting goals: I want to meet "x" new prospects a day. I want to get "$x" of new orders a day.

Let people know you'll be at the show by using postcards, emails, phone calls. Don’t forget to contact your current customers and arrange to show them your new widget at the show. They will be one of your best sources for referrals. Offer an incentive for them to visit your booth. Drawing & contests are a great way to build up your list.

Be sure that the people tending the display booth reflect a positive, enthusiastic and engaging personality! Attendees will not stop nor take your information if the person at the booth is an unfriendly Jag-off! Remember, People do business with PEOPLE they KNOW, LIKE and TRUST!

The next step is a Follow Up Plan. Keep in mind the big picture. You're competing with hundreds or even thousands of exhibitors among all the other trade show booths. Thousands of people will go through the show collecting a ton of information that will promptly be placed on the corner of the desk for a week or perhaps even months.

How will you follow up so your company will stand out from all the other vendors? How will you stay Top of Mind after the show? Phone Calls? Emails? Postcards?

Sending a Personalized Thank You note is an awesome way to remind people of the conversation, products & services. Plus, it begins to build a relationship and develop rapport. If you are willing to take the time to send a Thank You note, you’ll likely take more care about the project.

When they are ready to pull the trigger, you will be the one they think of fondly and first. It’s not always about finding the lowest price! Relationships Do Matter! People do business with the People they Know, Like and Trust.

I invite you to send a REAL greeting card to someone today – on me! No Risk! No Strings! Just visit: www.GreetingCardsB2B.com , turn your speakers on, click the banner and you’ll be guided through sending a real card to someone special.

Until Later
Come See What's Brewing at the www.MadHattersTeapot.com
~Rosemary