Communication Tips: "We Don't Look at Each Other Anymore..."... My own experiences - It is what it is...

It may sound like common sense but what I’ve discovered as is that many relationship challenges, especially intimate relationships, are created in part because people don't look, really look, at one another anymore. I am saying this out of my own experiences.

Here are my own generated simple communication tips to help the two of you feel closer and more connected, along with reasons why looking at each other is so important... know that I letting you in on all of these based on MY own personal life experiences.

• ·         Stop what you are doing and actually look your partner in their eyes when you are talking to them or when they are talking to you. Yes, we are all busy and have a million things to do but so often, we take for granted the very person who should be and maybe once was the closest to us--the person we once felt very connected to but now we are just two people living in the same house.
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• ·         Understand that when you do not look at your partner when he/she is talking or when you are talking to them, you are not honoring them and you are showing a lack of respect. Although it seems like a small thing, over time, this lack of respect erodes a relationship to the point that the two people don't even know each other anymore.
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• ·         When you don't look at one another when you are speaking to each other, your conversation is ripe for misunderstandings, assumptions and building resentment. How often have you been supposedly listening to someone as they were speaking and your mind has been elsewhere? It's far easier to be present when the other person is talking when you are looking into their eyes and it's also far easier to understand what they are saying. If you understand what they are saying, you're not going to make assumptions and you'll clear up resentments before they build and get out of control.
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• ·         It's been said that the eyes are the window to the soul. When you look in someone's eyes, you are seeing who they really are. You are able to understand them better and possibly have more compassion for that person that you might not have had if you hadn't looked in their eyes.
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• ·         When people are scared of opening to others (for whatever reason), they often don't look into the other's eyes. If you find that you are not looking in your partner's eyes (or anyone's) as they talk, begin to ask yourself why. Are you afraid of what the other person will see in them? Have you allowed yourself to over commit and are racing through your life, not really living it? Have you forgotten how to really love someone?

If you discover that you are not looking in the eyes of others who you love (friends, family, mother, father, children, spouse, partner), I invite you to ask yourself these questions and then decide if you truly want to open to a deeper relationship with that person.

Don't let your life go by on auto-pilot. Take charge and start living!

The Two Most Important Questions in Social Media Marketing

Number one: What's your objective?

Number two: How are you going to measure it?

These two questions aren't revolutionary - they're among the first questions that should be asked at the start of planning for any new project. Yet they often seem to get left by the wayside, or at the very least poorly answered, when it comes to social media marketing projects.

Question #1 is pretty straightforward, though the answers are often anything but. Some days you get lucky, and the answer is clear and concise - "increase unaided brand awareness from 10% to 15%" or "drive 20% more traffic to our new landing page." All too often however the answer is either vague - "build buzz" - or confuses the objective with the means to achieve it - "get more fans and followers!"

Don't be afraid of "why?"

In the latter case, a quick "why?" is probably in order, as in "why do you want to get more fans and followers?" What actually matters to the project owner? Do they think having lots of fans and followers is a means to getting more traffic for their web site? If so, consider resetting the objective to that, and later in your planning process evaluate building fans/followers as one of many possible tactics to achieve it.

Measurement can clarify the issue

If the response to "what's your objective" was clear and concise, "how are you going to measure it" has been largely answered. Now you can get down to the details of which measurement tools you'll use and who's accountable for tracking and reporting.

But if the stated objective is vague or confusing, then asking "how are you going to measure it?" can be incredibly liberating. It focuses the conversation around what really matters to the project owner - "buzz" for example might mean getting lots of social media mentions to lay the groundwork for a glitzy new PR and ad campaign. It might mean getting lots of positive blog posts pointing to a new landing page. Or it might mean inspiring a bunch of product reviews on all the right recommendation and e-commerce sites to influence future purchase decisions.

Who knows unless you ask, and you're setting yourself up for failure if you don't.

By asking "how do you measure it?" you force the project owner to cut through the fluffy vagueness of "awareness" "buzz" or "education" and get down to what's actually important, what the real business objective is. And by arriving at common agreement on the actual, concrete objective and exactly how and what you're going to measure, you've helped ensure the strategy and tactics you generate are driving to the correct goal right from the start.

The Secret to Your Success....SOCIAL MEDIA

I have a secret to tell you. There is a magic bullet to having an amazingly successful business. Most people won’t tell you this because it’s too easy. It’s laughable, really. Lean in closer, let me whisper in your ear.

The secret to having an incomparably successful business is…
…Facebook.
…. I mean LinkedIn.
…..No, Twitter! The magic bullet is Twitter!
Okay, this might not be as easy as I thought.

The Magic Bullet

Dear Reader, you are smart enough to know that in order to get business people need to know that your business exists; and the single most effective way to get attention these days is by making the most of your social media options: blog, tweet, comment, share and update. Get out there and join the conversation. Engage. Contribute. Show your clients and customers that you have what they need!

LinkedIn: “The future of recruiting”

“Facebook is for fun. Tweets have a short shelf life. If you’re serious about managing your career, the only social site that really matters is LinkedIn.”

Such is the claim of Jessi Hempel, author of a recent article in Fortune Magazine entitled “How LinkedIn will fire up your career.” According to Hempel’s article, LinkedIn is the new alternative to swapping business cards—or handing out résumés.

It makes a certain sense. We live in a digital world and a global economy, and most of our interactions—even with friends who live in the same town—take place online. In a business world where success is determined by “not what you know but who you know” it helps to be a part of a community that can boast over 60 million member profiles...Now this is based on The West and parts of Africa...More than a quarter [of LinkedIn members] are senior executives.”

Where better to rub elbows, make connections and find potential clients or customers? The problem is that in spite of much asking around, I know very few people who can attribute a new job, client or customer directly to their LinkedIn account.

Facebook: Sharing a different side of yourself and your business

Facebook is where I keep things light and personal, it’s not where I go to find business. But according to Jordan Furlong in his blog post “Facebook for Law Firms,” this personal touch is exactly why I should share my Facebook profile (or at least my business fan page) with my business contacts.

Furlong’s post is aimed at law firms, but the ideas apply to anybody in business. He asserts that it is exactly the personal nature of Facebook that makes it such a valuable tool for setting your business apart from the competition… if you do it right.

“What Facebook offers [businesses] is the chance to tell a different story about themselves, or show a different side of themselves, than what is possible or appropriate to tell and show through other communication means, such as a website, a newsletter or a brochure. No [business] is really a one-dimensional creature that can be summed up completely by a corporate website… [they] are complex, multi-dimensional communities of service professionals and service offerings, and some of those dimensions are more effectively conveyed through non-traditional vehicles like Facebook.”

Furlong suggests that by using a Facebook fan page to show the softer side of your business—sharing your experience participating in a community service project, posting (tasteful) photos of your office holiday party, or talking about hobbies—you show your customers the human side of your business; make them feel like they’re not just buying a product, they’re part of a community.

Twitter: Beauty and the Beast

In my experience, Twitter is often cited as the place to interact with your clients and customers in real-time. It’s where the big boys play. A recent article on Website Magazine shares how big business such as Amazon, WalMart, Dell and others use Twitter, and the feeling you come away with is—if these guys are using Twitter, shouldn’t your business be out there too?
There’s no denying it, Twitter has taken the business world by storm. A quick Google search reveals pages and pages of articles, blog posts and books about how to use Twitter for business. Twitter’s one simple rule—140 characters—means that essentially there are no rules, which makes Twitter both a beauty and a beast. The beauty is that your small business and a huge company like WalMart start out on equal footing: 140 characters to make your mark on the world. The beast is that you’re competing with 5,367,117 Tweeters, and nothing but your wiles to get yourself noticed. It’s hard to think outside the box and get yourself noticed when there is no box.

So… What’s Your Secret?

You may think it unfair of me to end this post with a question rather than an answer, but there is no one answer. There is no magic bullet except the one you make for yourself. If you’re a conservative type with the business card and the handshake, use LinkedIn to leverage that. If your strength is your active nature and winning personality, use Facebook to bring your clients and customers into that warm inner circle. If quick thinking and clever conversation are your forte, Twitter may be just the place for you to shine.

The truth is that any of the tools mentioned in this post can help you achieve success… but the only way to do it is to put in the time. And if you’re going to be putting in the time, you may as well enjoy it. Find the tool (or tools) that makes the best use of your talents and interests and run with it.

Miss GHANA 2010

Miss Malaika Ghana txt n Win

Night of a 1010 Laughs and Music 3

Charter House, the organizers of the Night of a 1010 Laughs and Music series are set to present yet another exciting edition of the popular comedy and music series on In August this year. The night of 1010 Laughs and Music will serve exciting menu of Music, dance and extraordinary comedy.

A NIGHT of a 1010 Laughs and Music featuring Helen Paul, MC Abbey, Seyi Law with Music by Amakye Dede, Bertha & VIP.

Date: 28th of August 2010 ...
Venue: International Conference Centre Accra Ghana
Time: 8pm
Tickets: GHC 50

Available NOW @ SILVERBIRD LIFE STYLE AND CINEMAS ACCRA MALL, Charterhouse & Koala


Unwind and continue the second half of the year with a refreshed mind and with a new approach as Charterhouse presents to you a Night of 1000 Laughs and spectacular Music. It is not just going to be like any other comedy show, but a dazzling one and definitely the talk of the city

Night of a 1010 Laughs & Music

The night of 1010 Laughs and Music will serve exciting menu of Music, dance and extraordinary comedy.

A NIGHT of a 1010 Laughs and Music featuring Helen Paul, MC Abbey, Seyi Law , Klint the Drunk, Funny Face with Music by Amakye Dede, Bertha & VIP. 

Date: 28th of August 2010 
Venue: THE DOME International Conference Centre Accra Ghana
Time: 8pm
Tickets: GHC 50
Available NOW @ Charterhouse, Silverbird Cinemas Accra Mall & Koala

OR

CALL 054-3549907 for LIMITED VIP TICKETS

Unwind and continue the second half of the year with a refreshed mind and with a new approach as Charterhouse presents to you a Night of 1000 Laughs and spectacular Music. It is not just going to be like any other comedy show, but a dazzling one and definitely the talk of the city.