comments

I just recently went out of my way to leave a Google review for the India Cafe in Lynnwood because they exceed all reasonable expectations for an Indian restaurant. And they do that about once a week. And they have for a long time.

Ray Anderson's Interface floor covering company ranks up there because of their sustainability story. The are now the poster child for The Natural Step, and are leading the way to a reasonable long term existence for humans on earth.

The Totem Restaurant in Everett is another example of a small local restaurant that is exceptional in every regard. All the locals know that and you can find us there every weekend for breakfast.

Yes, you are in health care, if anyone is. And how great it is that lots of wonderful food choices happen to grow like weeds here in the Northwest. From herbs, to greens, to berries, to fruits and vegetables, many need little or no care once the start up phase has passed. Nothing could be fresher than cutting the Peppermint off the bush for your relaxing tea.

Greetings and welcome to Biznik! I hope you love it as much as many of us do. And I hope it serves you well.

DD

Andrew - could you please enhance my profile by making sure that when you click on a category it takes you to that category in Everett, WA instead of Everett, MA?

Thanks,

DD

Great event Jessie, thanks for hosting. Love those pumkin pancakes!!

Craig - do you have that paper you gave us on disc. If so, can you email it to me so I can share it with the Realtors I know who will be interested?

Thanks,

DD

Mary - what an astute question. No shortage of great responses too. Yes, Lara enbodies the Biznik credo. She is a wonder to watch and Biznik is a fabulous example of the collaborative potential her and Dan are capable of.

Yes to SEO. Yes to events and personal connections: Biznik is a community of very interesting and highly talented people with shared values, interests and ambitions (to some extent). Biznik is the best way I know of to find such people.

Yes, to getting your word out in dozens of ways. (though I have yet to write an article.)

I also saw the potential right away of strengthening and facilitating interactions between all the folks I already was doing business with: referrals are easier; communications - hey you, talk to him/her about that - or I will - and get back to me (or me you). Because of Biznik I know all kinds of people who do all kinds of things and solve all kinds of problems. When someone I know needs something - or I do - it's usually extremely easy to get the solution to the problem - saving time and energy at least, and likely a lot of money too. And look who the money then flows to, a Biznik member who is in my network. That has been very good for all concerned.

"Biznik" is the what should be in the dictionary after "Functionality." Or maybe business functionality since that is the context.

Biznik is big now. Complex. It can easily be overwhelming (especially when there are wholesale changes made to how things look and where things are located). It is also still very simple and very intuitive - Apple computer users tend to make things that way. Take small bites and chew slowly. Feel your way into and it will eventually fit like a glove and be an integral part of your system.

Actually, I feel bad about my comment now. I downplayed the whole issue before looking at a good number of Ken's articles. (Guilty by commission as usual:-(

Great writing by a great writer. Even if the writing is easy, the detail still has to take a lot of work. To have that level of effort and quality of product leveraged into an ad for someone else - whose primary purpose in leaving a comment is to do just that - is unfair and unwarranted.

Ken, you also have a fabulous blog. I just visited it and had a hard time leaving. Very very fine writing.

People who are adjusted (that's spinal adjustments) have less discomfort; people with less discomfort rest better; better rested people have more energy; people who have more energy are more active; more active people tend to normalize in the weight department.

This conversation is a pretty good example of how you can't please all the people all the time, and... at all levels there will be those who operate in the gray area between violation and compliance. Hard to stop. When you try you inflict hardship on the rest of the players in one way or the other.

Biznik is full of dozens of features. Yesterday I found the "Sponsor this member" feature. How cool is that? Another feature is "Flag this member." Would that help in identifying behavior that you find offensive - if it got to the point where you felt you had to do something?

I am getting ready to send invitations to the Everett Happy Hour to as many Biznik (and non-Biznik) members in the local area as I have the time and energy to send. Some will likely consider my invitation spam. Others will be glad to get the invite and attend. Still others will care less.

And some may think that this doesn't add much to the conversation. Good thing I am too lazy to leave a link to my website:-)

Kimberly - I recommend you attend the Happy Hour here in Everett on November 4th. That can only help:-)

Arthur's comment reminds of a guy I met recently who "doesn't carry business cards." I understand the point that almost all the time almost anything you hand out will end up in the garbage.

It is also true that it's a numbers game. You never know for sure where that card will end up, who needs it or how the person you hand it to will put it to use.

Even more to my point though is that the card makes it easy for the other person to take actions favorable to your interests (and theirs hopefully).

A business card is a place to write pertinent info reminding the other person of why they have your card. It gives all the info they need to contact you again and follow up and hopefully refers them to other info (your web site). (Obviously this may not all be true: some people have cards you can't write on either because they are full of text and graphics or because they are glossy. And some people have cards that fail to include critical contact info - I don't know why.)

A business card can be a lot of things. Different for each of us according to our needs and the needs of our clients/customers/patients. For many folks the card itself is suppose to generate massive emotional impressions about how wonderful they are - that's fine, especially if they can back the impression with equally impressive other stuff: whatever that may be, I'm thinking office, website, location, whatever. The card is part of a system.

The question was about pamphlets or brochures. So it's really about the thought process about and creativity around creating that material: the graphics and text, organization and so forth. I personally think the reason most paperwork ends up in the garbage is that most of it is of such poor quality.

Lastly, just because you have a card or a brochure doesn't mean they get one. Whatever you have, it isn't for everybody so qualify them. (Arthur's point I think.)

Another very good article Judy!

The best compliment I ever had was, "What you see is what you get." In my business there are a LOT of preconceived ideas in the heads of the folks I do business with. Over time, they figure out that I am there to help them with their issues and it's about them, not me.

When get that, they always get what they need.

YOu have to have something whether you go door to door or not. What are you going to give out: a business card? If so, it better be a doozy.

Actually, now that I think about it, what do I know about going door to door? Oh, yeah, people door to door me all the time. Some get through most don't. I always give them a chance to hit me with something worth hearing.

So when you go door to door it may be best to say something useful really really quick - to hook 'em.

If you are there solve a problem, solve it. I remember the RAM guy showing up with a bottle of RAM and a cloth. He just walked in and started cleaning stuff that obviously hadn't been deep cleaned in a long time - and got it very very clean. I am still using RAM and ordering it by the case.

I also sometimes buy pictures from folks who sell door to door. There, it helps if the pictures are great - and the sales people are interesting to look at and talk with.

I love Mona's near Green Lake. Everything about the place except finding it (and sometime parking) works great.

Mark - I have used the 1-2-3 approach you recommend several times and it has worked out very well.

Like many many things (seeing a chiropractor?) people tend to think things are much too difficult for them to stop and do. In fact, many things are way technical and a little help can speed up the process and decrease mistakes.

And.... I need a medical records copy service at the moment!

Congrats Jessie! On another great breakfast. I love the Sawmill.

DD

Damn! I goofed up that rating move Dave, sorry. This is a great article and needs reading by many who write for mass consumption. Thanks for the thought and sorry - meant to rate it an 8.

Well said Michele.

Carbonated Apple Juice or Grape by Martinelli's!

This was a great class - my very first Yoga class! What a treat to have such a solid teacher and good all around experience. Fun too!!

Thanks Laura, and I hope you do decide to hold future classes on Saturdays or even Sundays. I you do I will be there.

Dennis