soho-life.com

Ok, it’s hard to say it.  My name is Kathie and I’m a blogaholic.

There!  I’ve said it.  I just can’t help myself.  You see, I get an idea that germinates for awhile and then I realise that perhaps others might like the topic too. And then I’m just playing around you see, looking at themes, experimenting with domain names and then before I know it, I’ve purchased a new domain name (or 2 or 3) and found a template I’ve fallen in love with and then suddenly I have a new blog.  I just can’t help it.  I’ve lost count of how many.  My kids say to me, ‘oh mum, have you got another NEW site?’  And I have to admit I’ve done it again.

I started a gardening one for that reason and another on photography (which I write to every single day).  Another about my home city, another about dodgy photos.  I have 3 that are potential holding bays for books in the future. And that’s not to mention the business ones I own or the ones for clients that I set up. And now a new one as of yesterday all about favourite places for coffee.

It was my eldest daughter’s fault this time. She started the idea when she took me to this fantastic place 2 weeks ago that was a cafe/restaurant/nursery and formal gardens.  Just gorgeous and the food and coffee is really great… and home made!  She was telling me about her favourite coffee places and I said to her without thinking, ‘you know that would be a good idea for a site’.  I kept squashing the idea everytime it popped up after that but yesterday morning (Saturday) because I didn’t have to rush out of bed I let my mind play over the past week or two and then it popped back in my head again!  Before I knew it I was on my computer and looking for a suitable domain name and found a fantastic template and voila!  The site was born.

Tell me, do you think I need help? 

Anyway, have a look and tell me what you think? MyFavCoffeePlace Perhaps you could indulge me and tell me about yours?

Tags: About Blogging, Having Fun by Kathie Thomas
1 Comment »

I recently contacted a professional via a business directory online and then forgot about it a few days later. I was looking for some professional support and had since contacted others before settling on who I was going to work with.

One day I get an email from the person I contacted (I’d forgotten their name) and it simply said it was from him with a Word attachment. No actual email message, no signature block, nothing – just the subject saying it was from him and the Word document.

I immediately responded saying ‘.. and who is…?’ and explaining I don’t open documents that could contain viruses without knowing what it is and who the person is who sent it.

I got a quick reply saying it was the information I’d asked for via the business directory the other day.

If this is how this person responds to business enquiries they’re not going to get much business.  Or perhaps their lack of quick response and lack of information contained in the response is an indication that they don’ t need the extra business. What do you think?

Tags: Business Operations, Email Etiquette by Kathie Thomas
2 Comments »

You know what they say about the word assume?  It can make an Ass out of U and Me.  Or something like that.

I don’t know how many times I’ve tried to set up times to meet with people online in the US.  But somehow it never gets through to them that because I don’t live on their shores I have no idea what city might be inside which timezone and how a timezone relates to me specifically.

I mean, I don’t know what city is in CST or CDT.  I do know that means Central time but does that mean I have geographical knowledge of their country?  uh uh.  It doesn’t.  Same with MST, PST and so on. I do know that New York is EST/EDT and I do know that is 14/15/16 hours behind Melbourne, Australia depending on the time of year and which side of daylight savings we’re in.

Make it easy on your audience please, and those you email. If you’re setting up a telephone or online meeting, webinar, podcast, etc and you’re inviting people to participate or attend, then be kind to them and make it easy for them to look up the time difference. Give them the name of a MAJOR CITY and not the timezone.  Or give them options for finding out the relevant time in their own city. I have seen links on sites where people are registering for an event, and they can click on it to work out the time and add it to Outlook if they wish.

Stop making assumptions that everyone knows and understands the geography of your country.  You may find you’ll get even more attending events because you’ve made it easier on them.

By the way – I’m not picking on those in the US because they’re in the US. This can well apply to anyone in any country. It’s just that the majority of people I deal with for events are in the US and I don’t really want to have to take up studying US geography just to work out the right time to attend an event.

Tags: Business Operations, Working Online by Kathie Thomas
1 Comment »