You don't like it but your customer might.

I HATE Standing Puppy and I LOVE Standing Puppy! Having written the description "Brown dog, red collar, blue eyes and red tongue with (insert child's name, possibly last initial here) on bottom" about a million times and having dipped packs of dogs at a time I can officially say that if I never dipped another puppy again I would be okey dokey artichokey with that. Now, this puppy is also an incredibly popular piece with children nationwide clamoring to get the puppies before they are all gone from the shelf. Even though we have seven back up cases in the back.
In business, it is important to remember that your customer's tastes will vary from yours and though you are not particularly fond of something your customers may love it! They will also pay premium prices and visit you again and again because of their tastes not yours.

Fused Candy Corn

Bad Deeds or Bad People?

Yesterday I had my car stolen. (Before you feel sorry for me, let me say that I had left the doors unlocked and the valet key was inside. I'll write a blog on "stupid deeds and stupid people" some other time.") Anyway, my car was really just borrowed, ransacked and left 8 blocks from my house.

After all the police reports I got in my car to drive it home. This is when the "feeling" sets in. The steering wheel is very low, the rear view mirror has been moved and the seat is too far forward. The car smells of someone who is not me. I felt a little invaded but also it brought to mind who this person was. Old, young? A vagrant or neighborhood kid? Drug addict or next door neighbor?

Good or bad?

That one hadn't come to mind until later. Though their deed was undesirable does this make them a bad person? Sometimes, but I think more often people make bad choices but aren't inherently bad people. Take our car thief. He could be a onetime fireman that lost his job and finds himself on the street or a metal wearing soldier that came back to no home or family. Good people, bad situations. Bad choices are definitely possible when people become desperate or scared.

So for now I am going to look at it this way. Good person, made a bad choice and I am moving on.

...Oh and I am locking my doors

Convention in 5 days!!!

The preparing is done! Boxes of varying items keep arriving at my house. ( I will be driving to convention so will also be hauling some things.) I received the convention brochures on Friday, some stickers for the goodie bags and some other surprises that I am not willing to share at this moment.

Susan is really the busiest one right now. She is printing and collating all the badges and technique class tickets, along with shipping our booth and some of the materials. She too will be driving this year and will be hauling some of the usual things we have at convention.

We are still recruiting last minute attendees. Bonnie has been hard at work talking to people and really showing them the value of convention. Many have decided to come and this will make for such a great group!!!

See you on Friday!

More convention plans the countdown continues

...So much to tell, it has been a few days, I will try to keep the timeline pure but there may be some incongruities.

We always give out bags with the convention brochure, and this year some really cool goodies in them. The bags were donated to us by non other than Heidi and Vera Bradley. SO COOL right!? Well yes and no. Yes the bags rock! Heidi and Vera Bradley rock! BUT they seem to have a need to multiply. First Heidi ordered them incorrectly and the shipping department was going to send me 400 cases of bags(10,000 bags) instead of 400 bags. We fixed that little fiasco then the 400 bags arrived. Whew! Then three days later 400 bags arrived. Now I have 800 Vera Bradley bags in my garage. We'll have to figure that out later.

Three supplier exhibitors signed up at the last minute just before we printed the brochures. Aftosa, Gibson Holders and Digital Ceramic Printers. Really great to have them at the convention this year! Drop by and say "Hi"

The convention Brochure was completed last week along with the signage and Arch for the convention hall. The brochure looks great and has some great coupons from the exhibitors in it. Really "A" one offers. look for them when you get registered. Thanks to all the suppliers that advertised, it really helps with the cost of printing the Brochures.

Getting a DJ for the auction was a little harder than last year. Denise, our CCSA Secretary, had a bead on a really good DJ that worked her sister's wedding. He was booked. Turns out many were booked. I finally found one that had thought he was going to be in Montana and hadn't been booking but as it turns out he is returning sooner. Booked and done. Thanks Joel!

Susan, my assistant, and Bonnie, membership relations, have been working to get all the volunteers coordinated. The schedule looks great! Big thanks to all of the people that volunteered, you are treasured.

Susan is currently getting all the Badges and Signs together, as well as, getting the CCSA booth ready to ship.

Bonnie will be running the auction this year and has the schedule and volunteers ready to go. In addition to being a great cause it is going to be really fun. Loosen your purse strings, you won't be able to resist bidding. (He said in a hypnotic way... you want to bid, you want to bid many times, it brings you joy and peace to bid over and over...biiiiiiiid biiiiiiiiidd biiiiiiiid.)

Lastly our little blessing in disguise. The Grand Sierra Resort had given us a great room rate of $99.00 well it seemed great during the summer when the rates at the hotel were in the $250 range some weeks but this week they changed the rate to $59.00 for the same rooms we are getting. OH and $89.00 for upgraded rooms. I have to say I have been watching the rates to see if this was going to happen because I know that giant hotels change their rates constantly to try and fill rooms. My heart fell through the bottom of my boots when I saw $59.00 on the screen.

A little background, because I know you are thinking "This is great! Everyone gets a cheaper room!" and on the surface you are correct. However, as an association throwing a convention you must book the venue years ahead of time and you must guarantee them a certain amount of rooms. In return for this guarantee they will not charge you for the exhibit space, class rooms and ballrooms. If you don't meet your minimum this is called "room attrition" and it can be likened to convention apocalypse. It could cost the organization thousands upon thousands of dollars if the minimums are not met. Not fun. So when I saw the $59.00 room rate I thought two things: The first one I can't repeat on screen, paper or verbally so don't ask. Second: This is going to work in our favor, it has to. I called the GSR and talked to "Yvonne" (names changed to protect the innocent.) Yvonne was very sympathetic and though the contract did state that they would only honor prices a month from the event date she would see what was possible to help us out. After some jockeying she was able to secure that if we had attendees reserve under the lesser room rate we would get credit towards our room block. FANTASTIC! This is a win win for us though I think they are going to take a little bit of a hit at the GSR. Do me a favor and buy some extra drinks with the money you saved. Thanks Grand Sierra Resort!

Enough for now. More soon. Can't wait to see you there!!!

Good deeds and punishment there of.

You have finally finished painting the entire 200 word quote, from a movie you have never heard of, onto the forehead of a penguin bank because that is the brides favorite animal and she wanted it to look like the penguin was thinking that quote. You are quite proud of yourself and now possibly permanently nearsighted but you are also very excited to see her expression when you reveal this precious piece. When she arrives to pick up the masterpiece, she looks at it, shrugs and says. "It'll have to do." Then proceeds to walk out. Not the crying tears of joy, hugfest you were expecting? Thought not.

Be not dejected or pushed out of shape. Good deeds are really for you. Though she was unappreciative and rude your deed stands alone as something special and rare. You did something that most people won't do. You put yourself out there, did something unique and beneficial to the world around you. You cared. Doesn't matter what she thinks. In this case you have accomplished exactly what you set out to do. You can stand proud with the knowledge that you will continue to care and work your magic in the face of bad attitudes and possible hangovers from the bachelorette parties. Well done!

Convention continued

As it turns out there is a rhyme and reason to why our convention was "cancelled" the original reservation for the room block was named something that didn't work for the Grand Sierra Resort so they changed it. Well, they did change it but they didn't remove the old reservation, they just left a note on the screen. If the reservationist (new word invented just for this blog, you're welcome) doesn't read the note then they think the convention is cancelled. Which is fun for all involved! Not really but I am trying to see the lighter side of it. In the end convention is still on, and the front desk learned a good lesson. Which is this...If the CEO of an organization calls to make a reservation and you tell him that his convention is cancelled, you may want to double check your information.

In other news. I have to get security for the event. Part of our contract says that we are required to have security there when the booth supplies for the exhibitors arrive. One at the top of the ramp and one at the bottom. The Grand Sierra has recommended using their own security there on site. Makes sense to me but for some reason I can't get him to return emails or calls. I am not feeling very secure about this. Irony not lost on you I am hoping.

As I stated earlier we are putting together an arch way for the entrance to the convention. The panel to the left is one of several. Lots of color! This is going to be great, I'm telling ya!

Convention you funny, funny friend!!!

SO! I get this call today from my friend Kate in Michigan. Now, if you know Kate you know she has a good sense of humor a great laugh and is very loyal. She was calling to tell me that she had called the hotel (Grand Sierra Resort) to find out if there was still space available and get some general information. Here is where it starts to get fun. The person she spoke with told her that our convention had been cancelled. WHAT! Had to be a mistake she must have called and they got confused, with all those conventions out there it is very possible for the to get them mixed up right? Wrong. I called the front desk and the same person, who shall remain nameless, answered. I proceeded to make a reservation as any normal attendee would then low and behold...CANCELLED! I asked her to check again and retold her C-C-S-A. Yes sir it says right here cancelled. I beg to differ of course because I was just ordering International Pastries for the mixer not 15 minutes earlier. (More on that later.) I had our front desk person transfer me to my contact Susie. Susie used a phrase normally reserved for those in the clutches of a guillotine, more on that next time. (If there is any doubt, be assured, we are not cancelled.)

Dorne and her assistant Toni have come through for us with the food. They kept it very close to budget if not a hair under and have gotten us some great food. As I said I was adding some dessert to our Friday night mixer. There are eight different types of dessert to be had. It is going to be wonderful! We are also having dinner type Hors D'oeuvres, Chicken Satay and Brie with strawberries and walnuts on Black bread to name a just a couple of the items, cash bar at the mixer too. It's going to be a ton of fun!

Convention Countdown!

I feel like it is interesting, at least to me, to see things in progress and how they come to be. Convention is a big part of our entire year here at CCSA HQ. There really isn't a week that goes by that something isn't mentioned or worked on. As the convention looms ever closer it gets bigger and bigger and starts to dominate our daily work. Whether it be planning a last minute seminar or getting all the signage set up. Since we are just a month or so out I want to give you a lead up and share the things we are working on as the days approach. I may not post everyday but check back and see how the last few weeks descend upon us. I will share struggles and successes. Believe me there are always both in this last month or so. I will try to attach pictures when I can. Keep in mind that if you love surprises at convention that some of this may be a spoiler for you. So with the spoiler alert in place...

This past week I received our badge holders for convention. You may remember we had multi colored last year with the Inspiria logo. We went back to the classic CCSA logo but with a little color.

I also worked with the caterer this week. Many of you may or may not know that catered food is ridiculously priced. No really, I mean over the top, can't believe you just paid that, expensive. Have you had a Happy meal? Take that price and multiply by 6. Now you have the price of lunch for one from a hotel caterer. I love to haggle and plead for better prices. Catering mangers do not share this same joy. I will eventually succumb to the prices but I want them to add things and get us some extras. I will let you know where I got with Dorne, our catering manager this year at the GSR. She was more receptive in our second conversation. I should hear something this week. It is an interesting thing to know that you can pay $1.99 for a 20oz coke and Polish hot dog at Costco and at the same time pay $3.50 for a can of coke at a hotel.

We are also working on the convention brochure and archway for our convention. Lots of color this year. I can't show you pictures yet but I think you will love it! If I get a couple of good ones I will post them. Don't come back if you want to be surprised.

I will leave you with the thought I often have. Though I get to write and talk a lot about convention I couldn't even get close to succeeding if it weren't for Susan, Bonnie and the CCSA Board. You will often see them running about at convention. Feel free to ask them questions or help them out. They can always use a chuck on the shoulder too. (Maybe a hug is a better idea.)

Look for your Openings

The constant war we wage in customer service isn't just meeting expectations but doing something so remarkable that you will be a memory that they will want to share with all their friends and family. Doing this isn't always as easy as we hope it will be. In order to achieve remarkable status you must look for those openings that give you the chance to be remarkable.

Guests at your studio will give you this opportunity all the time.

When they ask where something is the answer can't be the end of your index finger in a northerly direction. Take them to what they need, show them the way to use it and offer suggestions as to the best examples of the way it was used in the past.

If they inquire about an activity or event that you are having; a date and time aren't good enough. Give them a brochure, tell them how fun it is and even tell them a little story about the last one you held.

There are a thousand retail establishments with plenty of kids texting their friends while they ignore the customers. This isn't your studio. Exile all the employee phones to their cars and make your studio a no phone zone. That means no texting and no distraction from the task at hand.

The nice thing is that most retail establishments, restaurants and other places of business have given up on customer service. They have made your job just that much easier. Your guests will be surprised at even the slightest gestures. So be prepared to take out the smelling salts when you show them how incredible you are.

Does your "Studio Culture" matter?

The buzz word "Culture" has been making it's way through just about every business in the world. If you haven't thought about the culture you are trying to create in your studio it might just be time. The culture isn't just the atmosphere in which everyone is working but it is also the ethic and philosophy behind your cultural creation. Your studio, your employees and your customers learn to live and breathe the culture that you are breeding.

The importance of this lies in the waiting arms of success. The culture your studio imbues will define how long your staff will stay with you, the money your guests decide to spend and the happiness of both. It can also begin to create a word of mouth that will multiply your sales and your bottom line. Ultimately it can be make or break but it doesn't have to be difficult to define.

Ask yourself some simple questions:

What is my goal? Once you have this goal in mind now step two:

How do I achieve my goal?

The first question was way easier, right?

This is where the culture comes in. Create a culture that will, in turn, create the achievement of your goal.

Here is an example:

The Rusty Palette has this goal in mind. They want to become the place to create in the Paintsburg Metro area.

They empower their employees to go the extra mile to help the guests achieve creative success. Even if it is at the expense of the all mighty dollar. This atmosphere creates a freer environment for the employees and guests to expand their creative minds.

Your culture will differ. First find what you want your studio to represent,then expand upon that and put into place a culture that will bring your representation to life.

How you say something means a lot.

More often than not it isn't what you are saying but how you are saying it.

I will let this one speak for itself. Love to hear your comments though...

Activity vs Details

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a birthday party for a very close 5 year old friend. The party was held at a pizza/ amusement park establishment that will remain unnamed to protect the identities of the innocent.
Usually this story would begin to tell the tale of an unraveling party that included crying children, soggy pizza and a menagerie of 6' talking animals that invaded my space. This will not be that story. I am, instead, going to tell you of incredible customer service and attention to detail all exacted by the hands of two high school aged boys. Yep, the party hosts were two guys and they had the 8 or 9 kids of varying ages wrapped around their little fingers. There were decorations and food, during the food there were balloon animals handed out, each one made and remade, after popping, by one of the gentleman hosting the party, the drinks were refilled, the dirty plates were bussed, there were games after the food was eaten- Limbo, musical chairs, even a couple of impromptu balloon sword fights. The kids were kept occupied so that the parents had time to chat and eat before the next stage of the party. After the games the presents were unwrapped. During which time the guys acted like a team. One relaying to the other who the present was from and what it was. This was then written down on a list for the hosting mother to take home. The host mother didn't have to lift a finger and the guys came to her each time the activity was about to change or if it was time to do cake or presents or a new game. She was included but not burdened. They took care of everything.
(Yes, the giant, over stuffed, slightly nearsighted, animal, not a rat by the way, was ushered in to visit with the children but he was fun, not overbearing and left quickly after photos were taken.)
OK so what's the point? Moms are stressed. They feel like they are being judged by the quality of the party they are throwing and if the party has a hitch they are quite likely to uncork on an innocent staff member. Not because the staff member had it coming but because she has been stressing about this party since the day after the last birthday party she threw. The more you can do to lessen the stress level and make the mom look like a star the more parties you will book. Everyone at that party was expressing how "great" and "easy" it seemed. Many of the moms commented about having their next party at this establishment.
We often get caught up in the activity that we offer rather than the experience itself. The activity is a given. What isn't a given is the service, the attention to detail and the little things that make the party come off without a hitch.

More signs...

I may have to start a book. This one is a little funny. Can you guess what the sign is for?
It's the one place you are hoping for sure they don't have "Nits". Yep, you guessed it. It's a hair salon. Anyone feeling itchy?

Another sign: Can you find the Errors?

I just can't help myself. I think the foot you put forward into the public forum needs to represent you. Mistakes are plentiful enough without an error that could have been solved with Spellcheck. Are you telling me nobody noticed this before it was printed? A really good question would be: If you are the printer and see this mistake is it your responsibility to point it out? How many people saw this poster before it got to the presses? Was it their responsibility to point it out?
Ultimately this reflects poorly on everyone that was part of the chain that lead to posting this sign, then it reflects poorly on the businesses that it represents.
You may be saying "It's just a spelling error and it does tell us what we need to know." I agree it does tell us the information that we need but this sort of lazy mistake smacks of the larger issue of apathy in the work place. "Good enough" has become the battle cry of those on the front lines of our businesses. It is up to management to first lead by example, then train their employees to respect the job they are doing. Help them realize that "good enough" is mediocre at best and excellence is what we are striving for.

Remember to make your signage very clear.
Mixed messages just confuse people.

Is it the product or the production?

When I go to a restaurant and I use that term loosely here. I mean a place you get food. Not a white linen and table comb type of place but the type of place that comes with comical mascots and pictures of your food on the menu. (I think the pictures are there so that we only eat fried things, not fry our brains trying to decide what to order by actually reading about it.) Where was I? OK so when I go to these places I know what the food tastes like. It is always the same the menu rarely varies and as long as the food is hot I am happy. Or am I? I have come to the realization that if my server, waiter, food purveyor has a "schitck" or does something really special that makes my 45 minutes enjoyable I like the food much more.
Psychological mumbo jumbo I know but let's translate it. I am actually going for the experience. Yes, the ease of food sliding in front of me merely by asking for it is quite nice but I can make myself a hamburger. I want to interact, I want to be entertained. I want them to make me laugh, tell me a story, tell me how great they look in the reflection on my head. Heck, if they can juggle Jalapeno Poppers I want to see it. The key to my return business isn't in the free refills or crispness of the chicken fingers. It is in the experience. That's what I will remember. Sure the product counts but even if I sent something back in one of these restaurants, which I am not sure I recommend, the way the server handled it would be much more important to me than the food itself. Not how did it taste but how did it feel.
So much can depend on the experience itself and not the mission at hand. The feeling we leave people with is the reason they will return to us again and again. If you can affect their mood or shine positive light on them, they will be yours for life.

A great asset

Hey there,
Just wanted to give you some quick info. Inc. Magazine (Inc.com) has a great site online. They basically take their entire magazine and put it on display. There are a lot of really innovative minds working for Inc. The magazine is written for entrepreneurs like yourself. Check it out.
Below a fun article about harnessing creativity in the work place.

Unleashing Employee Creativity

Being Present

You text your mom, email your brother, send a Constant Contact to your customers, while you are eating a cookie and talking on the phone to a prospective client. These are the multitasking actions of your everyday life. These are the actions of almost everyone's everyday life. It is now the norm to see someone walking down the street talking on the phone or texting. Oblivious to their surroundings or their fellow human beings. It is the way our society has begun to communicate.
Unfortunately, if we are talking or texting to people all the time we are actually never present where we are. We lose the opportunity to meet those around us. Our moments pass us by as we are actually mentally somewhere else while they are happening. Maybe our moments could leave us a message? Probably not.
Part of the problem is if we aren't present we don't give ourselves the opportunity to engage that person across from us. Have you ever been to a restaurant and spied a couple at a table across from you and instead of staring at each other they are staring at their phones?

Believe me I am as guilty as anyone of mutli-tasking to the nth degree. I apologize to those who have heard the tap, tap, tap of the keyboard as we have chatted on the phone. I promise to try and be more present in the future. Afterall being present with someone, really engaging them and listening to them makes them feel important. Which is just how it should be, because they are.