Over-Saving and Extreme Couponing

This post was already in the works before I caught last night's episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC. Did you miss it? You can catch it again on January 4.

Once the official Christmas shopping season comes to an end, a new season emerges and lingers on well into January of the new year. It's called the after-Christmas retail challenge in the retail industry. Consumers scramble to make exchanges, get refunds, and redeem gift cards.

I received a little over $100 worth of restaurant gift cards for Christmas and didn't waste any time using them. Thanks friends and family! On Monday evening, The Girl and I headed to Olive Garden for some "mother-daughter quality time". She ordered her usual Ravioli di Portobello and I opted to try something new (my restaurant gift card ritual) and settled on Shrimp & Crab Tortelli Romana. It's not often I leave a restaurant without a doggy bag, but this was one of the rare occasions.

Before we left the house, I did what I always do - checked my coupon drawer for money saving coupons. There was a good chance I didn't have any, as eating out is at a snail's pace in The Unemployed Entrepreneur® household. Never to worry though. I knew I was merely a Google search and mouse click away from the jackpot.

Seconds after I typed "olive garden coupon" in the search field, the following was at my disposal:

http://www.olivegarden.com/promo/BuoneFeste/?cpn=11

Go ahead...print, clip, and enjoy. All I ask is when you order, try something new.

$0.17 MEAL FOR TWO

Yes, you read it right. Thanks to a $25 gift card and a $5 off coupon we dined for less than 25 cents. Did it cost me a ton of time and effort? Nope. Coupon clipping and discount shopping are second nature to me. It's a part of my lifestyle.


COUPON CHALLENGE

While I'm not ready to compete with the pros on Extreme Couponing, others seem to think differently. My friend and OSEC of Austin member Stefanie Spells hit me on Facebook this morning telling me she saw the show and immediately thought of me. I'm flattered to say the least.

Will you see The Unemployed Entrpreneur® on TLC anytime soon? I doubt it, but Extreme Couponing and support from Stefanie and The Girl gave me a much needed boost of coupon-clipping confidence. I'm looking forward to seeing how much I can save in 2011.

Coupon party anyone?!

Dine in photo credit: aesterling

Coupon photo credit: Mandy_Jansen

Video Marketing Advice - A Post for The Work at Home Woman

At some point, you too have been tempted to do exactly as you're told. Take a look at the link below to find out why you should completely ignore some marketing experts:



7 Expert Video Marketing Tips You Should Ignore

The Face of Christmas

On December 21st, KXAN aired a segment asking the community to help support the Christmas Bureau of Austin. At that time, there were 1,800 families still in need of sponsors. Families with kids who may not have presents to open today - something I never experienced as a child and neither have my children. Even in the toughest of times, there was going to be something under the tree and a good hot meal on the table.

Not only was the Bureau in need of gifts and monetary donations, they also needed volunteers to help wrap the gifts. I didn't think twice about donating my time.

The experience I had was far more valuable than writing a check. When the little girl in the picture saw that bike, the look on her and her mother's face was priceless. I asked her mom's permission to take the picture and to give the baby a hug. That's something you can't box and unwrap no matter how hard you try. Shon Washington, the charity's Assistant Director, stopped what he was doing (and believe me, there was alot going on), got his toolbox, and adjusted the bike seat for the little girl. By the time she and and her mom left, the baby couldn't help but cry - tears of joy, of course.

This is just one of the many hearts touched by the city's outpouring of generosity. Thank you to the entire Christmas Bureau of Austin team and all of the families who were served for making Christmas 2010 one to remember.

And now, I want to thank you for giving me the gift of your time. Thank you for the comments, the laughs, and for the encouragement. Merry Christmas.

EMAIL TRIAGE

I had a coaching call with one of my clients and we were going over strategies to help maximize her time. She's been blessed to have quite a few worthwhile projects land in her lap and she doesn't want anything to fall through the cracks.

Notice I didn't say anything about managing her time - I specifically said maximize it. See, my thought is that time management is a trap. You can't possibly manage something you have no control over. No matter what you do or don't do, time keeps on ticking. Practicing self-discipline is a better approach. You can control how you spend the seconds, minutes, and hours you're given each day.

My client brought up an interesting point. She stated she's making better use of her time by changing the way she responds to emails. Since we can't control how many land in our inboxes, we can certainly alter how we reply.

She's no longer writing long, drawn out, flowery responses. Succinct and to the point from here on out.

WORD PROBLEM

Let's say you have 120 emails to respond to (this was my reality - plus some - in corporate America). If it takes you one (1) minute to reply to each, it'll take you two (2) hours to get through them all. I don't know about you, but I'd rather devote that time to something else far more exciting and lucrative.

If you cut your response time in half, you could add one whole hour to your I-haven't-done-it-because-I-don't-have-time bucket. That would be 5 hours per week and 20 hours every month to focus on whatever it is you've been putting off because "there's just not enough time in a day".



JUST THE FACTS

I find I'm more apt to respond quicker to shorter emails. If you send me something direct and to the point, I get right back to you with a direct and to the point reply. Put a novel in my inbox and it's going to sit and gather dust.

OPEN BOOK TEST

Look at your last 10-20 email responses:

• Could you have saved time by eliminating filler words?
• Did it take you a couple of days to book an appointment because you went back and forth trying to decide on when/where when you could've knocked it out immediately by offering up a couple of dates and options on the front end?
• Can you create a customizable email template for queries you frequently receive?
• Can you update your website, brochure, or FAQs to address questions to prevent you from having to answer via email?

Are you using technology in the most efficient ways possible or is something that was meant to speed things up actually slowing you down?

Photo credit: Biscarotte

Don't Lose Your Voice

Yeah, the picture is a bit graphic but you get the point don't you? This is how some people would like to see us - unable to speak and without a voice.

An interesting thing happened this week on air during my radio show. I made a comment that offended some listeners and they didn't waste time calling in to let me know. We were talking about the man in Florida who went into the school board meeting and started shooting. He didn't injure anyone, but was shot by security and then turned the gun on himself. His wife later made a statement saying he was bipolar. I said he was crazy.

I brought up the fact that so many criminals are now using bipolar disorder as a reason for "snapping" and breaking the law. By no means was I grouping everyone with a mental illness in this category. The category with crazy criminals.

SELECTIVE HEARING

Some listeners took my comment totally out of context and said I was making light of a very serious situation. Not true at all. They heard what they wanted to hear and drew their own conclusions. Has this ever happened to you?

DIFFERENCES IN PERCECPTION

Other listeners called in to say they understood my point and felt the same way. That anyone who went into a board room with a loaded gun was crazy. One caller even went so far as to tell me live on air that he was calling to give me an opportunity to retract what I said. Huh? Seriously?

This kind of thing happens all the time with celebrities and public figures. They make a statement, a group gets pissed off, and then they're bullied into apologizing. Well let me tell you something: it ain't happening here. I said what I meant and I meant what I said. I politely (in the most stern way I possibly could) told the listener I respected his opinion and point of view and all I ask is that he respect mine. Respecting and agreeing are two completely different things.

DON'T BE SILENCED

I'm on the radio and I write to have a voice. A voice that's mine. A voice that won't be manipulated and controlled by people who take things way too seriously and misconstrue my message.

Don't allow anyone to take your voice. Don't allow anyone to put words in your mouth. You have the right to speak your mind. Having said that, you don't have the right to disrespect the person next to you. Healthy debate is a good thing. The world would be a boring place if we all believed the same thing and communicated the same way.

Be your authentic self. Just know when you do, you'll sometimes be misunderstood.

Photo credit: izthistaken

Connect with Stories

Have you gone to a conference, signed up for a breakout session (you were drawn in because the description left you salivating), and after it was over you left with that glazed-over look? The presenter did an excellent job of writing good copy, but fell short on delivery.

There's a huge difference between telling stories and giving a boring lecture. After I speak, my audiences are surprised by how much Q&A I incorporate into my talks. In addition to allowing for collaborative learning, I also open up and share relevant personal stories. This humanizes me. It puts me in your shoes - in the seat right next to yours so we can connect and relate to each other.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

My job when speaking is not just to impart information. That's easy. I have to be transparent, humorous, adapt and speak to you on your level, and leave you with something you can take and implement or build upon.

If you haven't yet begun to speak (there are so many reasons why you should as an entrepreneur), don't put it off any longer. You have your own stories to share. I don't doubt it for one minute. Be your authentically good and genuine self on the platform. Skip the gimmicks and tricks.  There's also a huge difference between a speaker and a performer.

How To Write a Better "About Me" Page

When was the last time you updated your Bio/About page on your website? Is it engaging and upbeat or does it read more like an obituary?

BLAH BLAH BORING

Don't shoot the messenger, but most people don't really care about your acronyms and accolades - they just won't tell you. When we land on the page that's supposed to tell us about you, that's what we want to know. About you the person. The personality attached to the person. This is where an emotional connection will take place (or not) and this determines if we hang around to get to know you better or move on to someone more interesting.

REAL LIFE EXAMPLES

This is what my original Forbes profile used to look like:

Donna L. Johnson, The Unemployed Entrepreneur ™, is a speaker and confidence coach who worked her way up from file clerk to management while starting a business at night and on weekends.

Donna is a relationship building expert and Founder of an Austin-based women’s entrepreneurial group. She trains and empowers a diverse group of women to succeed in life and in business. She educates members on the importance of creating a strong personal brand and challenges women to out-think and not out-spend when it comes to marketing your business.

Visit www.iHiredMe.net to get resources and support to succeed.

Here's what I changed it to a couple of months ago:

I'm The Unemployed Entrepreneur® and I've been writing for Forbes since March 2010. Summary of professional experience: 15 jobs by the age of 22. My written word hustle is a mix of business street smarts, lifestyle, and controversy. I take a stand on things I'm passionate about without being afraid of backlash.

When I'm not blogging, speaking, and reading, I visualize being on the set of my dream job as a tv talk show host. Follow my journey at http://www.iHiredMe.net and hit me up on twitter @iHiredMe.

Now go take a look at yours and give it an extreme makeover. Publicity Specialist Melissa Cassera wrote a great post about the same thing and gives you valuable tips to take your bio from drab to fab.

Have specific questions? Share your thoughts below and let me know. I'd love to help.




Photo credit: Thomas Hawk

21 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

1.  What can I do today to improve my tomorrow?

2.  How many negative thoughts have I had in the past 24 hours?

3.  What toxic people do I need to let go of?

4.  What's my definition of success?

5.  When will I stop making excuses?
 

6.  How can others see the best in me if I refuse to do so myself?

7.  How many hours will I spend on personal development?

8.  How can I reach new heights...and stay there?

9.  Who can I bring with me on my journey to success?

10. When was the last time I performed a random act of kindness?

11. What would happen if I replaced "I'm trying" with "I'm doing"?

12.  When will I realize I deserve more than I'm settling for?

13. How many times did I say "thank you" today?

14. What would I do if I wasn't afraid of being judged?

15. Do I only find joy in material things?

16. Are my words speaking louder than my actions?

17. Am I defined by the opinions of others?

18. When will I get a backbone and start saying "NO!"?

19. When will I stop letting my past determine my future?

20. When will I hold myself accountable?

21. Am I really pleased with the person in the mirror?





Photo credit: lovesteph83

Goals and Slacking

You probably never expected to see the words Goals and Slacking side by side. Especially with an illustration of someone's 10 year life plan. It's December 1, 2010, and two things are happening right now:

1. People are completing end of year goals and/or planning for 2011.

2. Because it's the holiday season, people are doing as little as possible.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU DOING?

If you want the next one, three, or five years of your life to be different and better than today, I suggest you focus on number 1. If you only want to talk about change and continue doing the same things and getting less than desired results, chances are you fall into bucket number 2. Not just this year, but every year.

LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE

I got a call from Monica Pena today. She was following up to see if I was still attending an event she'd invited me to tonight. I told her not to expect me because I've blocked off this entire month to get more writing done and to work on plans for 2011. Guess what? Monica said she'd done the same thing. However, in her case, she's devoting time to completing the 2010 goals she hasn't accomplished yet. This is the kind of drive and work ethic that ensures you won't get stuck in complacent mode and looking back a few years from now wondering why everyone else is living their dreams and you're not.

LESSONS FROM A STRANGER

My virtual mentor (whom I've never met and he doesn't even know I consider him a mentor) shared a valuable lesson with me in November 2009. He said he worked extra hard and pushed out more content this time of year because he gains an advantage over others who don't. He went on to say some people give themselves permission to slack and this allows you an opportunity to "sneak some success in" and get ahead of everyone who's putting things off until the new year.

BALANCE AND ALTERNATIVE

Please don't mistake my point for one that doesn't advocate the value of down/quality time with loved ones. I recently spoke with someone who told me she kicks it into high gear for nine months out of the year so she can have summers off. There's no one-size-fits-all way of going about it. Do what's best for you and your desired outcomes.

Keep the momentum. Do something. And if you do it when everyone else is doing nothing, imagine where your life will be in 2020.

Photo credit: lululemon athletica