How Do You Use Chopsticks?

~ Bernadette Geyer

Do you remember the first time you held chopsticks in your hand? Or how long it took you to get the hang of it? Does your method of eating with them match the method of anyone you know? Or do you all have different ways of using them?

I learned how to use chopsticks when I was in college, but I honestly don’t remember if anyone taught me, or if I learned by trial and error. Here’s a photo of how I hold them.

My daughter has a completely different technique, as does my husband.

But guess what!? We all manage to get food into our mouths!

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Have you ever seen a shop with an empty display window?

~ Bernadette Geyer

So why are you leaving these digital spaces blank?

I don’t know about you, but I love window shopping. Even if I don’t need anything, it’s fun to see how some shops get very creative about the displays in their windows. Tailors in my neighborhood have some truly eye-grabbing ones.

And most stores will change their displays according to the season or the next upcoming holiday. One glance will tell you whether Christmas, Halloween, or Valentine’s Day is on its way.

Would you leave a shop window empty when you know it’s a good way to attract customers? I don’t think you would.

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She’s ruined “joy” for the rest of us…

~ Bernadette Geyer

I’m just going to step right out there and say it: Marie Kondo has made it impossible for anyone else to say that something should “spark joy” without being seen as a copycat.

But that’s okay. We should all be trying to find that one phrase that will be linked so closely with our business that no one can hear it without thinking about our business.

I’m thinking about this because I recently saw someone use the hashtag #sparkjoy on one of their posts.

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Before You Promote Your Event on Instagram…

~ Bernadette Geyer

I’ve been hanging out on Instagram a lot more lately (follow me here!), and I’ve noticed a big problem that small businesses and coaches are running into with event promotions – especially since so many people are now hosting online events.

Due to Instagram’s algorithm, you can’t be sure that your event announcement will be seen before your event happens! Your followers have no ability to see posts in chronological order, as they can with Facebook (the Most Recent option for the Newsfeed), Twitter (option to “See Latest Tweets first”), or LinkedIn (option for “Recent” instead of “Top”).

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Tips for Using Acronyms in Your Business Writing

~ Bernadette Geyer

Are you confusing and losing potential clients with your alphabet soup?

Did you know that CIA is not just the acronym for the Central Intelligence Agency in the United States? It’s also the acronym for the Culinary Institute of America.

If you are marketing your product or service to an international audience, you need to understand that not everyone will immediately recognize the acronyms you use. People who are new to your field might also not recognize an acronym! You don’t want to risk alienating folks or making them feel like “outsiders” when they don’t know which company or organization you are talking about.

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Why Did You Do That?

~ Bernadette Geyer

Our daughter plays ice hockey. Sometimes, we notice her doing something that seems out of the ordinary and we’ll ask her about it.

For example, after one game, we asked her why she was staying so far back by the blue line when the play was deep in her team’s offensive zone. She told us the coach specifically said that he needed her to hang back and hold the blue line, because her defensive partner liked to “go on excursions.”

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Join Me at the Small Business Grit Online Summit – May 18-29, 2020

~ Bernadette Geyer

Grit… and Resilience

These have always been important things for a small business to have, but in these trying times, how can you get or increase yours?

I am excited to announce that I’ve been selected to speak at the Small Business Grit Virtual Summit Series, May 18-29, 2020. The theme of the summit is “Resilience,” and my presentation topic will be “Consistency: The Key to Creating and Maintaining a Brand Image.” Continue reading →

Take Your Text from Jargon to Cliché to Your Brand Voice

~ Bernadette Geyer

I have a problem with jargon. Many businesses think that using a lot of industry-specific terminology in their marketing materials makes them sound more impressive.

“Pimp your SEO for killer ROIs!”

But it doesn’t make you sound impressive. It sounds fake. It sounds like one of any number of jargon-spewing social media accounts I see out there featuring some 20-something guy in a suit standing next to an expensive car and claiming to make six figures per month. Continue reading →