4 Priceless Lessons from Free Publicity

This past Saturday I had the privilege of appearing on our local NBC station. It was my third time on the live weekend morning show and this time around I gave tips on getting the most out of gift cards.

This past Saturday was also Small Business Saturday. When I originally sent my pitch, it was for a segment featuring affordable accessories as gift-giving ideas. I'd done all the research on trends and colors and everything.

KXAN does a fantastic job of featuring locally owned businesses, so it made perfect sense to start local.

Nobody told me this part: Getting companies to respond to you is damn near impossible. At least that was my experience.

Of the three businesses I reached out to, two never responded and the one owner who did was skeptical about how her company was going to be portrayed. Yes - after specifically stating that I'd like to feature a few of her accessories on an affordable gift-giving tv segment, she still had concerns.

Ok. You can sell me your stuff, but you're questioning me promoting it - on tv?!

All of this may be fairly new to me, but I refuse to beg folks to allow me to give them free publicity.

Much to my surprise, Kohls was the only retailer who returned my phone call and showed interest.

After sharing my frustrations with my contact at the station, she decided the gift card segment would be more timely. When I sent the original pitch - the one for affordable accessories that local business owners didn't respond to - I also included two other pitch ideas. Gift card tips was one of them.

And from this I learned the following:

1. Working with small businesses and solo-entrepreneurs doesn't always equal less red tape. Sometimes egos can take the place of stringent corporate policies and procedures.
2. This was very stressful in the beginning, but I enjoyed it.
3. When you present Plan A, it's a good idea to throw Plans B&C in the mix...just in case.
4. Once you realize you've mistaken a transaction for a real relationship, accept it and keep it moving.

Lessons, experiences, challenges or whatever you want to call them are around us all the time. These snafus shape our journey. And thanks to something I read on @AnOptimisticMom's blog, I know this one was right on time.

How Best Buy Blew It

When I started jotting down notes for this post, they were all positive. That was the intention then. Due to circumstances beyond my control, the story that's about to unfold is down right shameful.

On October 19, 2011, I ordered a Dell ink cartridge online from BestBuy.com. I was all excited because you get a 20% discount by ordering online on Wednesdays. The cartridge was regularly $23.99 and after the discount it came out to $19.19 (total with tax is $20.77).

I opted to pick it up in the store instead of having it shipped to Headquarters. The shipping timeframe was between 10/25 - 10/29. It would be available for pick up on 10/27 - a specific date.

Or so I thought.

On 10/27, the shipping date, I got an email saying the order had been delayed. An exact reason wasn't given, but the email said I'd receive another email when the order had been shipped.

Fast forward to November 17, 2011:

I've YET to receive said email and I don't have a damn clue as to where my ink cartridge is. And guess what?! Best Buy don't know where it is either!

I have to be honest and tell you with all the fractured tibia drama going on in my life, this ink cartridge was way down on my priority list. I refuse to let October the Devil infiltrate my November.

On 11/2 I called Best Buy customer service. I have to give them some credit for having zero hold time and a painless automated system. However, when the rep came on the line, it was all downhill from there.

She (typically I would've gotten her name, but it was irrelevant) basically said:

• the warehouse had requested shipping (wonderful! now tell me something I don't know)
• the item was shipped to the store, but she didn't know on what date. (really?! really?!) when I expressed my frustration she then backtracked and said the weather was making 'the system' slow and if I had time to wait she'd look for it. I was placed on hold while she had someone else look for the mystery shipping date. It took at least 5 minutes for her to come back and tell me the supervisor couldn't give me a shipping date. (no - I didn't ask to speak with the supervisor because I'm totally convinced EVERYBODY is mild-to-moderately incompetent.)
• due to having issues with 'the system' she couldn't even get to the reason why the shipment was delayed.
• I'd have to contact the store to see if it's there OR wait on the email.

After being on the phone for 21 minutes I hung up with nothing. No answers. No ink cartridge.

On 11/17 I went to the Best Buy store where the item was to have been shipped. In a nutshell, I was told the exact same thing by the clerk and his manager. Nothing.

The manager informed me I could call customer service and get a refund.

Shut your mouth wide open! Like, that's an option?! I'm so grateful!

I couldn't help but wonder if Best Buy would have the same attitude if the missing item in question was this:

image courtesy of BestBuy.com

Sale:

$3,299.98

Reg. Price:

$3,799.98

Why would anyone trust them with a major purchase if they can't keep track of a $20 ink box?!

* * * * * * * * * *

I want my ink cartridge.

I want an explanation. One that makes sense.

A Date With Plain Ivey Jane

This past Saturday The Girl and I spent the day together. Whenever that happens, there's sure to be food and fashion involved. In that order.

I got wind of a fashion show brunch tweeted by @2NDStDistrict and decided it would be the perfect place for us to hang out. 

You know it's damn near impossible to go to something like this without asking the million dollar question:

"What am I gonna wear?!?"

Prior to seeing the tweet, I'd never heard of Plain Ivey Jane. 

As if you didn't already know I'm a discount-shopping-non-couture kinda girl.  

When the show got underway, I was pleasantly surprised to see the models wearing wearable clothes:

 

My event photographer was invited to pose. She accepted:

 Since Saturday, I've been asking God to perform a miracle on my hips so they can accommodate this cute Hype charcoal washable silk dress:

Both me and The Girl's eyes lit up when this ensemble hit the catwalk.

Can you say, "Happy New Year!"

Sarah Reeves fulfilled her dream of having her own boutique.

 By doing so, she made it possible for women to have affordable designer goods without breaking the bank.

me and Plain Ivey Jane owner, Sarah Reeves

As you can see, Plain Ivey Jane carries a variety of apparel and accessories. Betsey Johnson, Diane Von Furstenburg, Vera Wang, and Marc by Marc Jacobs are just a few of the brands you'll find there. 

How do they do it? Sarah buys overstock directly from the designers and then passes those savings on to you.

She calls it Closeout Couture. 

I like that.

What's your favorite look from the fall showcase?

Guess what?! Due to the overwhelming response to this post, I started a personal style blog. But it's not just any personal style blog. Go on..click here to check it out!

A One Night Stand for Charity

Back in August I told you about my experience auctioneering a live auction for the first time. It was a charitable event hosted by the Interior Design Society Texas Hill Chapter to raise money for a room make-over for SafePlace.

That night, we raised close to $3,000.

The entire project has been made possible by the generous contributions of the IDS members, contractors, and regular people like you and me. Everything has been donated. From labor to materials to time. 

We held the finale event at the end of October to get the funds in order to complete the project.

This one was a silent auction complete with karaoke, costumes, margaritas, and a slew of vendors offering fantabulous door prizes. A local artist painted an original picture right before our eyes - the only item auctioned off live. 

me, a one-night-stand, and Chair of IDS Charitable Committee

 

Both events were mega-successes considering the fact that IDS has only been in existence here locally for not even a year. I'm truly humbled and blessed to be a part of such a giving organization. 

With just under $5,000 and a whole lot of teamwork, the make-over is in progress and we're all eagerly awaiting the reveal. I'll be there front and center...with a wad of tissues, as I'm sure there won't be a dry eye in the house.

With the holidays approaching, there'll be all kinds of causes for you to support. 

Remember, those in need can benefit from your time as well as your money.

*To my Facebook friends who inquired about my dress, I got it at Body Central.

Mobile Phone Geeks: Cell Phone Contract Alternative

As much as I love social media and being online, I don't consider myself to be a super technologically advanced person. I can do without all the latest gadgets and you won't find me at the center of any groundbreaking advancements. 

Remember. I'm the person who just cut the cords from my desktop last summer and moved into the laptop generation.

Having said all that, you shouldn't be surprised I didn't have web service on my mobile phone. Until now.

I had a two year old smart phone that was web capable, but I didn't feel the need to be connected at all times. Texting 24/7 was more than enough for me.

My phone recently died and I decided it was time for me to get with the program. I was going to invest in a quality phone and web plan. After all, I am a blogger...I need to be able to throw up a post from anywhere!

No matter how much the thought of tweeting in public excited me, I WAS NOT entering into another contract with T-Mobile®. Not for a phone, not for a plan, not for nothing.

I had one option and one option only. Head down to Mobile Phone Geeks.

I have to confess I wouldn't have known they existed had it not been for The Girl. You see, when she went behind my back last year and bought an iPhone off of eBay, she researched ahead of time to find out where to take it to get it jailbroken or whatever you call it. 

Not only do the Geeks sell new and refurbished phones, they repair em too. Just ask The Girl. She's had at least two cracked screens and one "it needs a new LCD" experiences (at her own expense of course).

The thought of getting a refurbished phone didn't bother me one bit. Why should it?! When my Behold from T-Mobile® broke within days of receiving it, the handset protection aka insurance rip-off covered me. They shipped a brand new pre-owned model to my front door...and continued to bill me monthly for the original brand new one that resulted in a two-year contract and endless phone calls to customer service.

This is not a scenario I ever want to repeat. 

I was actually able to test drive two different phones before deciding which one I'd take home. What cell phone retailer lets you do that?! I was able to put the phones to use to see which one would be best for what I'd be using it for.

If there's a PhD in cell phones, Mobile Phone Geeks has earned it. 

They have several locations throughout central Texas and you can chat with them in person seven days a week. Always personable, knowledgeable, and willing to go the extra mile to get you taken care of.

Out of state? No problem! They offer mail-in repair service.

I haven't written my first mobile blog post yet, but thanks to Mobile Phone Geeks, you can find me tweeting and updating my Facebook status from this beauty:

T-Mobile® myTouch® 4G. photo courtesy of tmobile.com

How did I survive being in the "there's an app for that!" dark ages all this time?

Disclosure: My relationship with Mobile Phone Geeks began long before this sponsored post. As such, the above opinions are expressly my own.