Archive for June 2011

I’ve used two web hosts since buying the meryl.net domain around 1995. The first charged a bit, had a lot of problems (email delivery and keeping the site up also known as server uptime) and provided subpar customer service. At the time, the rate was probably standard with fewer web hosting services and it being the earlier days of the Internet. (Yes, that is the old meryl.net logo here.)

Another web host came along that charged much less for more features than the original. Some people may not consider it the most powerful web host — it’s a smaller service than the biggies most small to medium businesses use. Because of excellent customer service, I signed up my nonprofit organization with the same web host. Eventually, someone else became the webmaster of that website and complained about the host. (I don’t remember the exact comment.)

Since using the phone through the relay service takes more time than a typical phone call, I prefer to submit questions and trouble tickets through an online system. This web host has that. And most of the time, I get a reply within an hour — regardless if I assign the item as low or high priority. Furthermore, the provider helped me with problems outside the scope.

Because of their superb customer service, I’ve stuck with them since 2003. Sure, it has occasional down time and sent a couple of messages elsewhere instead of my inbox. They’re ready to tackle and solve my problems quickly and efficiently. Like humans, companies are going to experience problems despite using the best quality products and services with a tight process in place.

Here are six easy ways to show the love to your clients and hold on to them:

1. Promote. If a client writes an article, I’ll link to it from Twitter. If I hear a writer needs to talk to someone that my client fits? I forward that opportunity to the client. When a client in the email marketing business publishes a new issue, I link to the newsletter wherever appropriate. Another client offers free webinar, and I help spread the word.
2. Remember. I wrote an article about a product the client sells. Weeks later, I come across a Lego-lized version of the same product. I shared that with the client who got a kick out of it. Sometimes it’s fun and sometimes it’s educational.  It shows I care about them and want them to be successful.
3. Listen. Sounds obvious, but freelancers might not understand the client’s request and start working on the project without understanding what the client said. It’s OK to ask for clarification. Better to ask and get it right the first time than produce something off target and have to do it again.
4. Ask. After working with a client for little while, I ask for feedback. When requesting feedback, I let clients know they can be short or long as they want without taking up too much time. I ask one open-ended and one yes/no question: “What can I do to better serve you?” and ”Are you happy with the work?” Asking also means probing to figure out what clients want. One way to do this is to ask for examples of what they like.
5. Fix. You and I aren’t machines. We make mistakes. It’s how we handle those mistakes that makes a difference. Don’t charge or add a discount to the invoice to fix something. A simple and sincere apology may be all you can do.
6. Thank. I wrote notes to clients using a cool invention known as a pen. This is one thing computers can’t replace and the reason why kids still need to learn cursive.

How do you keep your clients happy? Share a memorable customer service story where you were the customer. How about a story of how you helped a client?

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

When I think summer and song … first thing that comes to mind is “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess. I don’t have many favorite slow moving songs, but that one sounds beautiful and has lovely words. Witness…

Summertime,
And the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high

Your daddy’s rich
And your mamma’s good lookin’
So hush little baby
Don’t you cry

Photo from flickr user itsjustkate

It flows and captivates. Why don’t I like more slow songs? I think part of it is because they’re harder to hear and follow. For example, I love “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George, but I can only hear the latter half of the song. I saw the song in its entirety on TV with captions and liked it. Some of the lyrics:

Sunday, by the blue purple yellow red water
on the green purple yellow red grass
Let us pass through our perfect park
pausing on a Sunday

By the cool blue triangular water
on the soft green elliptical grass
as we pass through arrangements of shadow
toward the verticals of trees
Forever . . .

Beautiful way to describe the famous painting by Georges Seurat.

As for other things that come to mind with “summer,” it’s all the usual stuff: swimming, 4th of July, vacations (rare), the smell of suntan lotion, camp.

Over to you: What do you think of when it comes to summer? Can be songs, activities, whatever.

Brain food…

• Old School Book Marketing Techniques for Digital Age: Book business card — brilliant.
• How to Tell If Your Website Sucks: How timely. I just finished judging 100+ sites to write an annual top websites article. Many of websites got knocked out because they had the problems covered in this infographic. People will argue that popup windows can work — depends on popup.
• How To Respond To The “Pick My Brain” Question: Worth memorizing. [Link: John Haydon]
• So You’re Having a Bad Day: That was me on Monday, but nothing serious. Just an off day. It happens. I got through it. It’ll happen again. And I’ll get through it even though it won’t feel like it when I’m in the moment.
• The 50 Best Short Stories of All Time: Impressive list. I haven’t read short stories since college, and yet this list captures the ones I remember. Only one missing is Edgard Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death. That freaked me, but I’ll take that over The Telltale Heart. I also did my 11th grade thesis on James Thurber. Boy, I wish I saved it.

And for fun because we’re allowed…

• The 30 Harshest Author-on-Author Insults in History: Faulkner, Emerson and Capote insult Twain, Austen and Kerouac.
• Zork: Free download for your PC or Mac. Wow. I played this game on my first computer, an Apple ][+. What do ya mean, "What the hey is Zork?"
• America According to Twitter: Apparently, I live in Metroplex. Supposedly, I was born and bred in Funkytown. Column Five also has many other infographics. [Link: Bitrebels]
• Top 10 Manliest Quotes: We shall have our fight … [fill in the blank]. [Link: Esther Schindler]
• 10 Funny and Fabulous Flow Charts: Like Mental Floss always makes me laugh. Beware: these charts can waste hours of your life. [Link: Michelle Mangen]

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

In Twitter, several of us discussed the ups and downs of scheduling tweets. Then I read Should you schedule your tweets? I love Twitter and I could easily read tweets all day and engage in a variety of fascinating tweetversations. Instead, I created a habit to avoid letting Twitter and its fail whale swallow me up. Every morning, I check Twitter and schedule tweets based on other people’s responses. Some tweets are replies to statements or questions. Some are RT. Some are adding two cents to someone’s tweet.

I also reply live to whatever is happening while I’m doing all this — but I take care not to do multiple replies too quickly. Let’s say I see two tweets worth a response. I’ll respond to one right away. After that goes out, I respond to the second one and wait a few minutes before pressing “Send.” While I wait, I read more tweets. Why do this? I don’t want to appear two, three or more times in someone’s Twitter stream page.

When people reply to my tweets, I don’t pay attention to the time unless we’re in the middle of a conversation. If I tweet something in the morning and the respondent schedules a reply in the afternoon, it works for me. I always check for responses and follow up. For timely items, I’ll schedule the tweet when they need to go.

I’ll check in Twitter again around mid-day and sometimes at the end of the day for follow ups and more live tweeting.

It works for me. This lets me engage all day without sacrificing my work or family time.

Those who say it’s not a good idea to schedule tweets often refer to those who tweet resources or self-promo links without any engagement, mentions or replies without a link. I think this approach is a compromise.

Over to you: What do you think of scheduling tweets? What’s the right way and wrong way to do it? How do you balance time on Twitter and social networks with your life?

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

Awem releases the hidden object game sequel to Golden Trails: The New Western Rush. The first one takes ya to the Wild West where you travel around town asking questions about a bank robbery and send the bad guys to jail.

In Golden Trails 2: The Lost Legacy Collector’s Edition, yer grandfather has been arrested. Naturally, being the good grandkid ya are, ya sniff around to find out what the deal is and encounter nasty characters like that scallywag Captain Morgan. Something isn’t right about this guy and he has it in for ya. What’s up with that? Just because yer related to the guy he arrested?

Based on talking with the townsfolk and Captain Morgan, yer grandfather used to be a pirate. Yeah, right. Yer the good guy. How can the good guy’s grandfather be a pirate? This hidden object game challenges you with its diversity of puzzles. I never could solve one of the puzzles and had to move on because we had a deadline to make so y’all (Whoops, thar goes me Texan accent.) could stop waiting for the game and play it.

Avast, thar! I had something to do with the game, so I’m biased. This is not an official review. I loved playing the puzzle games. Some were familiar and some were not for the lily-livered. Most of them make ya work hard for the booty and doubloons.

Ayyy, matey. It feels like “Talk like a Pirate Day” even though it’s not until September. Anyway, grab ye some grog and try out the game. Yo ho ho and a bottle of water! OK, I’ll cut it out already. Seriously, let me know what you think.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

What did I do last weekend? (Technically, two weekends ago.) I sat by the pool watching my family swim. I finished Catching Fire. (Four out of five stars.) I cheered on the Dallas Mavericks as I watched the parade on TV in the comfort of my own home. I discovered the newest shows on Broadway while enjoying familiar ones. (Yes, it meant watching the Mavericks and the Tony Awards at the same time.) I worked on the blog. I did article research.

I confess those last two are work-related. That doesn’t happen often — just when I have deadlines to meet or a lot on my plate. The blog has been around for so long and has gone through many changes that it has a few problems. I’ve tried working on the problems last week, but it took longer than expected taking up too much business time.

But it wasn’t always like that. I used to work in the evenings and one day on the weekends. I’d work on my laptop outside of my office where I could get more comfortable and be with my family. Some of these activities weren’t for clients, but for marketing and networking.

Despite connecting with some great folks, most of these activities didn’t pay. While I value getting to know others, I value my family first.

Aha Moment

I caught the final episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show including one with memorable insight from author Toni Morrison that hit me. She described an incident when her young son came to her with a drawing while she worked. “Oh, that’s nice,” she said.

He ripped the drawing.

“Why did you do that?” she asked.

Apparently, the look on her face was less than thrilled with the interruption. -Gulp- I’m guilty of that. After hearing that story, I worked to change that and my son’s attitude became more positive. But I still need to keep practicing as I’m not batting a thousand.

Stopping the Insanity

I have four walls and a door to draw the line between my office and my home. Even with solid walls, the line between the two lives still blurs. Writers, freelancers and solo-preneurs can’t always draw a line between home and work to keep out the disruptions.

They can set rules. They can change their attitudes. They can dump activities that aren’t working.

I must’ve done something right. On the occasional Saturday or Sunday, my son asks, “Are you working?” or “Why are you in your office?”

Over to you: Do you work in the evenings and the weekends? How do you draw the line between business and home? If you could have it your way, what would you do? How can you make that happen?

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

The famed writer Nathaniel Hawthorne has died during a freak snow storm, and his ghost has come to you, asking for help. Travel back and forth in time from the scene of the author’s demise to the 17th century, where a town is going mad with rumors of witchcraft and a woman is facing the gallows. Unravel the secrets of Salem’s accused witches and solve the death of Hawthorne in Midnight Mysteries: Salem Witch Trials, a fun Hidden Object game.

The hidden object game is available for PCs and Macs.

The game is the Catch of the Week from June 20 through 26, 2011 — on sale for $2.99.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

I was born and bred in Fort Worth. I’ve lived in the Dallas / Fort Worth area for my entire life except for the six years I lived in Washington, DC. So all my favorite teams are the ones from here including the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Stars and the Dallas Mavericks. I stuck with all of ‘em through great years and forgettable years. When folks kept saying the Mavs were a joke and never contenders, I reminded them of the Mavs’ good years in the ’80s with Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, Roy Tarpley and Brad Davis.

Thanks to Donald Carter for bringing the team to Dallas. Thanks to Mark Cuban for turning them into champions in a short 11 years. The Mavs almost did it in 2006, you know?

Meryl's Dad in USAF Uniform

Dads. Happy Father’s Day to all the involved dads out there who play catch with the kids, take them to school, help them with homework and be there for them. I’m lucky to be married to one of those dads. My dad (in loving memory) was one, too. We played catch many times, he took me to lots of Texas Ranger games, he embarrassed me on my way to school by waving at me while taking his morning walk and he was always there for me.

Best advice for the week: How to deal with criticism in one single step: “Don’t care. You’re not going to please everybody.” Even the nicest people have a few non-fans. You can produce the most beautiful work product and your boss, editor, client loves it. Someone, somewhere out there will hate it.

Brain food…

• How to Create a 5 Step Facebook Marketing Strategy for Your Blog: This one is doable for just about everyone.
• The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Taking a Vacation: Not just for entrepreneurs… Americans, too. My husband had been doing a lot of research on human resources stuff for his international company and Americans are sorely behind other countries in benefits and other areas. I challenged him by asking questions like “Maybe we have a better salary? Maybe we have a lower cost of living?” He had solid answers for all of them.
• 10 Reasons I Don’t Answer Your Email: I reply to most emails. The ones that don’t get a reply often fall into one of these 10.
• 3 Steps You Can Take to Reduce the Firefox 4 Memory Leak: Memory has been a Firefox problem for years. I had two tabs open and Firefox managed to hold on to 1,000,000K of memory one day last week! Bad, foxy, bad.
• World’s Worst Freelance Advice: Write what you know… seriously. If I followed that advice, I wouldn’t write about cars, Billiards or buffaloes.
• Book Marketing Q&A: Q&A worth listening to or reading.

For fun because we’re allowed…

• 10 Coolest (and 5 Worst) Father’s Day Gifts: My husband would love that Corvette Wall Shelf.
• 8 Weirdest Dog Breeds Ever: Some of these look familiar as they’ve appeared in movies and TV shows.
• Praha Opening: Choreography in a Skydive Arena. Very cool. Yes, watch to the smooth ending.
• 12 Funny Signs Found at the Beach: Some not safe for work.
• 15 Coolest Pictures Taken at the Right Time: I have one of those (not on Oddee, mind you). I captured a lightning bolt by the Washington Monument. I’m not a good photographer, but am proud of the picture that I have it on the wall in my office.
• Neon Movie Signs: Wow.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

Explore a forgotten time when dinosaurs ruled the earth in The Timebuilders: Caveman’s Prophecy, a fun Time Management game! Guide your tribe out of their cave and into the world. Discover new lands filled with dinosaurs, carnivorous plants, and mischievous saber-toothed kittens. Use all your skills to manage your people, build houses, and gather resources while creating awesome inventions to help your people!

Strange alien traps are popping up all over Puppy Island! Rescue the trapped puppies before the aliens have a chance to retrieve them! Keep your rescued pups safe, warm, and happy in your Puppy Sanctuary. Use collected gems to buy toys and decorations for different locations and search for food and firewood supplies within the ancient island ruins. Use your Match 3 talents to save all the adorable animals in this fun game!

Life’s not always a fairytale when you are a witch, especially in a world that is full of suspicion. Explore this magical world in The Witch and The Warrior! An uncomfortable truce is only just forming between the magic and non-magic folk after years of war, but the message is spreading slowly. Experience the trials of a teenage witch in this fun and exciting Strategy game.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

The Mavericks make me extra proud to be a Texan. Not because they won, but how they won. Last time the Mavericks made it to the finals was in 2006 against Miami Heat — the same team they beat to win this year’s finals. It’d be easy for the Mavs to taunt them and play up on the revenge angle. They didn’t. I grew up playing and watching sports. It turned me into a competitive and driven gal. It also showed me how easy it was to get angry and want revenge on the opponent.

Mavs Man at Kids' Elementary School

Miami players LeBron James and Dwayne Wade mocking Dirk’s illness. Actions like that can easily rile up the opposing team, but Dirk and Mavs remained cool.

Mark Cuban. You know the guy is brash and always in your face. Throughout the finals, he stood in the background and shone the spotlight on the Mavs instead of himself. This is the guy you least expected to let Mavs founder and original owner receive the championship trophy, but he did. Cuban stood by while Donald Carter accepted the trophy. He also cut back on blogging and tweeting during the finals.

Here are the 10 business lessons from the Dallas Mavericks:

1. Let actions do the talking. The Mavs didn’t mock or smack talk. Rather than talk up a big game, do your best work and let it speak for you. If you make a mistake, correct it and apologize instead of making excuses.
2. Operate as a team. Yes, Dirk is the star of the team, but he had off days especially when he had a fever. The Mavericks already knew how to play like a team, so it came easy for them to carry Dirk’s load.
3. Work hard. Dirk stood out because he worked hard and practiced for hours. When the team used to practice in a public fitness center while American Airlines Center was under construction, Dirk would stay after practice was over and keep shooting baskets until a member asked him to leave. [Source: The Dallas Morning News letter]
4. Share credit. Mark Cuban let Donald Carter hold the trophy first.
5. Show restraint. When the game ended, I wasn’t sure it was over as the Mavericks walked around or exited the court. They didn’t celebrate by jumping around and rubbing it in. Even fans showed restraint in not destroying city property while celebrating.
6. Trust your team. Coach Rick Carlisle found a balance in coaching an experienced team by trusting the players. He also gave ownership to the players such as letting veteran player Jason Kid run the offense.
7. Shut out the noise. Ignore what’s irrelevant. Focus on what needs to be done.
8. Speak up. Coach Rick Carlisle spoke up twice when Mark Cuban was having one of his “moments” during a game. Cuban did.
9. Keep fighting. The Mavs made big comebacks in a few playoff games. The Lakers had a 15-point lead and the Mavs came back to win. The Mavs did it again in Game 2 in Miami.
10. Adapt as needed. Carlisle benched players even though they were instrumental in previous games.

What other lessons did you pick up from the NBA finals? What are some examples of these business lessons in action? What’s your most memorable business lesson?

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Meryl Evans

Flo games always keep you challenged and busy for hours. I’ve played many time management games and the Diner Dash series is the hardest to beat. Here’s a paragraph from my Diner Dash Hometown Hero game review: “Diner Dash games continue to be the hardest ones to play in its genre and it doesn’t stop here. I don’t get very far before they have me banging my head on my desk. I can’t be that lousy of a player at these games since I manage to get through other tough diner games including Turbo Pizza — an insane one.”

On a visit to her hometown, Flo and her Grandma Florence take a stroll down memory lane. Bring five restaurants back to life, and meet new customers like the Hungry Man and the Celebrity. Take special care of customers with reservations and place flowers at tables in order to make diners happier. Stuck with a four-person group and no four-person tables? Now you can move tables together to create a larger table. Help restore Flo’s hometown now!

Catch the deal for your PC or Mac! Use coupon code CATCH299.

The catch of the week runs through Sunday, June 19, 2011.