Have you ever noticed in our world of tweets, emails, and texting (just to mention a few modes of communication used nowadays) that there are a lot of people chatting, but are they really being heard?  Are we really listening to each other?

We receive Twitter messages in our email, but do we really have communication with the person who initiated the message?  How many times do we just hit “delete” and move onto the next message in our inbox.  The same thing applies to messages we receive from Facebook that someone either wants us to confirm their friendship or comment on one of our posts.  Do we always respond?

Then there are actual email messages.  First thing in the morning before scurrying to begin a busy day we sit down to check our inbox. We tend to scan messages we have received, maybe answer one or two of high importance and make a mental note to respond to those which remain.  Before we know it the day has ended, we are ready to eat dinner and spend a relaxing evening with our family and then it is off to bed.  The “respond to later” group grows daily.  Often times they just get deleted once too much time has elapsed.  Here we find a break in the chain of communication.

We are definitely living in an age of advanced communication technology.  We have computers for our Tweets and Facebook posts, IPhones, BlackBerrys and plain cell phones.  Can you remember when we did not have a cell phone?

With the use of blue tooth it took me a while not to respond to a person standing next to me in a store when the spoke.  I now know that they are speaking with someone on their cell phone.

If you take your kids to the park to spend “quality” time with them and you get a call, or a text message how long is it before you forget why you are there?  How long is it before your children just decide that they are not being heard?  You are busy with a digital conversation. The face-to-face communication with your child has run amuck.

A cell phone is great when we need to take care of an emergency at work and put a solution into the works.  However, how many times are you out to dinner with your spouse, or family and they are looking forward to your being part of the occasion, and you get that dreaded call demanding your full attention.  Communication at your table comes to a standstill!  They are talking, but you are not listening.

We are living in a culture that demands constant connectivity with no respect to what we are personally doing.  You could be having dinner out, or at home, sleeping or in the shower and our hand held devices have no mercy.  We snap to attention.

Whatever happened to our face-to-face communication? I have a very dear friend who made a very wise comment to me.  He told me that he did not send emails, or read them.  “Emails do not tell me how you are really feeling,” he said.  How true is that?  Granted we can express our thoughts in an email, and even put a certain tone in what we are saying, but where is the personal interaction we used to enjoy?

Another misuse of emails or texting, in my opinion, is when a person goes on a rant about something they are displeased with and without truly considering their words they put how they feel out there and do not really care about the person on the other end reading it.  Unfortunately, as much as the world is a much smaller place and people are able to stay in contact more readily with digital capabilities, our personal consideration of others can get lost.  Once those words are out there the damage is done, you cannot take them back.

Obviously, I am part of the digital world of communication.  I appreciate your reading my article.  I also personally realize, from the expression on a child’s face, or even on an adult’s face, the importance of being listened to and truly heard.

In closing, I am hoping that this might prompt some thoughts on sharing your voice, your true personal face-to-face communication and actually listening to a person to hear what they are trying to say.  We need to step back and realize that conversation, as we once knew it, is on the decline.  We also need to recognize how conversation is changing and try to keep somewhat a balance in our communication.

Happy Tweeting, Texting and Chit Chatting.  Make sure that when all is said and done you have been truly listening and heard what has been said!

Judy Conway
Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
Skype ID: judy.conway
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
http://fullservicemarketingtools.com

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

Related articles by Zemanta

• Fan Engagement: Sports Social Media Done Right (slideshare.net)

Have you ever dreamed of having a home based catering business?  If you have a love of cooking this would be a great career.

In many homes nowadays both parents are working.  Economic pressures require a double income.  Schedules are hectic and it is very difficult to prepare wholesome, nutritious meals.

A catering business can be very lucrative in providing daily meals for these families (singles or couples).  You would not only be preparing delicious meals but eliminating the stress that these people feel when they under the pressure of shopping and cooking.  They would have more time to enjoy each other and do the things they enjoy most.

Before you jump into your apron, here are some things you want to consider:

What will be the name of your business?

Are you doing this by yourself or will you have a partner?  If you have a partner will you both be responsible for the cooking, or will one take care of the administrative duties?  In the future you may find the need to hire a cook.  Dependability is a required.

Create a business plan that you can use if you need to get financing.

Check with your local food administration authorities about the laws governing your type of business.  Find out the appropriate licenses and permits you will need.  Check into these details first so you will not have problems in the future.

Decide on what types of meals you are going to provide.  You will want to include two or three choices daily.  Once you establish your clientele you can give them an order form of the various meals available on certain days.  You can establish the time frame you want to maintain.  A week or two ahead have the forms returned to you. You can come up with a computerized form that you can email your clients and they can email you their choices. Do whatever you can to automate your business and eliminate unnecessary legwork. You will have to decide what works best for you.  You will want a week’s notice for shopping and preparation purposes.

If you want to specialize utilizing your specific cooking/baking talents, your catering service could be for special soups, desserts or birthday cakes.  This is your choice.

Pricing your meals will be more of a challenge.  You will want to keep your costs as low as possible in order to have a desirable profit.  Call other catering businesses to get an idea of what your completion is charging.  You do not want to price your meals so high that you will price yourself out of the market.  Allow for a fluctuation margin in market prices.

You will want to buy in bulk.  Get a membership at your local wholesale club.  This will save you quite a bit.  You still want to be a savvy shopper as there are times when your local supermarket’s prices are lower than the wholesale club.

Bulk shopping will necessitate your knowledge of the shelf life of the foods you are storing. When in doubt of how to, and how long to store food items, the internet holds a wealth of information at your fingertips.

How are you going to advertise your business?  Of course, word of mouth continues to be one of the best forms of advertisement.  You should consider flyers, or posters that you can leave at various businesses in your area. You will be able to create and print these on your computer. This will cut printing costs. Newspapers and mail coupon services can get the word out to many, but will be more costly.

You may want to consider designing a web page so that you can create an internet presence. Print up business cards including your web address. Get permission to leave this in places such as the doctor’s office, dentist, or hairdresser. Design your website so you have your weekly choices listed and your contact information.

If you go this route, you will want to find a web hosting company that also provides you internet marketing tools.  I know of one company that has a bulk emailing program, with an auto responder where you can set up various campaigns. It also provides a video producer with templates that you can create for your specific business.  The best part of this company is that they have training by professionals in the industry.  If you are a cook, more than likely, you are not overly versed in computers!!

How are you going to get the meals to your customers?  They can pick them up from your home or you could deliver to their place for a set fee.  You will need to put great thought into planning your cooking and delivery schedule.  As a suggestion, allow yourself about one hour to an hour and a half.

What type of containers are you going to use to pack your meals? As there is a possibility that the food may need to be reheated, you will have to take this into consideration when purchasing containers. Look into microwavable items. A wholesale club usually has great prices on food containers.

Be a good planner.  The internet will provide you with an endless supply of recipes and ideas for different meals.  If you are cooking for a family with children, take this into consideration. Spicy does not always work with little ones!

When you purchase your fresh produce make sure it is cleaned properly and when possible cut and ready for use.

Keep a cautious eye on your costs.

You want to develop a good relationship with your clients.  When possible, satisfy special requests. Always be the type of person that you would want to work with.

As suppliers are an important element in your business you want to develop a good relationship in this area.  This will go a long way in getting better service.

It is up to you to decide on how large of a business you want to create.  A small business will be easier to handle.  Once it grows it will necessitate hiring additional staff members. But then again this would translate into greater revenue.

As an added suggestion, be sure to keep your recipes either on the computer or in a binder in protective sheets.  Who know, someday you can add to your business profits by publishing a cookbook of your catering recipes.

I hope that your love of cooking will be the first step to initiating a profitable home based catering business.  I wish you all the best and a kitchen filled with aromas of happiness and success!

Happy Cooking,

Judy Conway

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

Have you ever found yourself engaged in a conversation being more eager about talking about yourself than listening to what the other person is saying. Successful communication requires having an attentive mindset as well as verbalizing your thoughts. Many associations fail because people talk “at” each other.

Unless someone hears what has been said the words have little value. The person trying to communicate feels that their contribution in the relationship is of little value. When we feel that we are being heard we are more likely to engage in negotiation and compromise. Listening involves far more than words. Facial expressions and body language is often a far more accurate barometer than the words that are being used. In the case of consoling a person, you might want to gently touch their hand, or even give them a hug to show you really care. You need to listen actively to be an active listener.

Here are several pointers that may assist you in becoming a more effective listener. Make eye contact. Do not just verbalize while you are looking all around the room. Look at the person you are speaking to. Read the body language of the talker. Are they relaxed, anxious, angry? It is easy to recognize the extremes, but the message is sometimes more subtle. React in a like manner to subtly mirror the other person’s body language. Nodding in response to what is being said to you shows the other person you are listening.

Make appropriate responses. If you are unclear about what is being said, ask relevant questions and ask for clarification. Do not just nod in response at what you “think” was said.  This can end up being very hurtful and embarrassing if your response is negative when it should have been positive.  At the close of the conversation, summarize your understanding of what was said. The “who”, “what”, “where” and “when” open ended questions are recommended. When responding to questions, and interacting in a conversation, make sure the tone of your voice does come across as judgmental. Do not elude an interrogative manner. The old saying, “It is not so much what you say, but how you say it” rings true in this instance.

If the person you are conversing with is relating a traumatic experience or hardship, be empathetic. Acknowledge difficulties being careful not to relate similar experiences you have had. Simply say, ” I sense that you are finding this rather difficult”, rather than “Oh I know how you feel, a similar thing happened to me, but it was a lot more difficult.” It is important that the person you are speaking with senses your honesty and sincerity. It will be obvious if your conversation lacks these qualities.

Do not make the mistake of thinking ahead to what you want to say next. Doing this takes your mind off the conversation at hand,and and you come across as having a lack of interest attitude. Be totally attentive. It is amazing how much more enjoyable a conversation is when we allow the input of others! You will also learn a lot.

Happy listening!

Judy Conway
Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
Skype ID: judy.conway
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
http://fullservicemarketingtools/com
http://joinjudyconway.com/bestdealsonline
http://joinjudyconway.com/digitalcameradeals

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…