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Issue #19 |
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Style & Substance Secrets newsletter. The resource for business professionals to improve credibility, relationships and bottom line, through image, etiquette, dining and social skills advice.
Invest in your softskills! Public Seminars: Protocol For Building Business Relationships April 24 in Edmonton June 11 in Calgary
Workshops For Women 'Brand' New You - Image Enhancement for Career Women May 23 and June 19
Inside This Issue
Article-
Trend Watch:
Clothing -
Food & Dining -
Are your dining skills View a Free Demo 10 minute demo of Dining for Success
For your free subscription to this newsletter or to forward it to a friend just click link at bottom of page.
About Style for Success
Joanne Blake & Terry Pithers can help your organization and your people improve their personal image and social skills to build credibility and inspire stronger business relationships.
Specializing in business dress, demeanor & dining, we add enjoyable, unique, profitable content to your training, conferences, retreats and in-house seminars.
View our services brochure (pdf)
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PUMP UP YOUR PEOPLE SKILLS FOR LEAN TIMES 4 Skills To Get More Customers or The Job You Want
Terry and I just attended the Edmonton Home Show looking for some renovation ideas and contractors. We definitely found out who we wouldn’t be hiring.
We couldn’t believe the number of people who were showing off their lack of soft skills, from sloppy dress to “I don't really give a #%*@” demeanor. Some seemed like they were deliberately trying to drive away potential clients. This surprised us given the importance of trade shows and career fairs for people looking for jobs or looking to ramp up their client base.
One Company Stood Way Out In spite of all this, one company really stood out positively at the home show. Their sharp business dress caught our attention. Even more so when we realized they were a landscaping company. Click here to see a photo of the Johnny Paycheck Landscaping guys shining at their booth.
These three entrepreneurial landscapers were demonstrating what people should do at tradeshows and job fairs, the type of things that will make you more successful if you're looking for a job or building business.
If the Johnny Paycheck Landscapers can do it, so can you Four Crucial People Skills Tips:
Enthusiasm Is Catching The landscaping guys were enthusiastic. Your enthusiasm about life and what you do, acts as magnet to other people. It produces an aura that makes you and your skills more attractive and subconsciously makes others more enthusiastic towards you.
For employers this is important because enthusiastic employees are vital to any organization and most managers feel that attitude cannot be taught or changed easily. For clients, enthusiasm signals that you will do a good job for them because you have pride and passion for what you do.
Curiosity Thrilled The Cat The landscapers asked questions and engaged people. Building relationships really depends on our conversation skills. One of the easiest ways to build a conversation and rapport with someone is to have a curiosity about them, about the job, about their needs and what they do.
People with better people and networking skills focus on the other person and ask more questions. They direct the conversation towards the other person’s needs and interests rather than talking so much about themselves.
Smile When You Say That The guys looked happy. A huge part of the first impression is your body language and especially your facial expression. An open facial expression coupled with good eye contact makes you appear more approachable and also more interested in the other person.
This translates into better rapport and warmth with the people you meet. Clients feel that they are listened to with better eye contact and an open facial expression. Potential employers sense this as well and extrapolate in their minds to visualize you representing their company in this positive manner with their clients.
Dress Like You Mean Business The first thing we noticed about the landscapers was the businesslike way that they dressed at the show. Your personal image goes hand in glove with supporting or undermining your professional demeanor.
While you might not always need to wear a suit in your business, paying attention to your grooming and details of your clothing signals to others that you are a professional and that you will be paying attention to the details of the job.
Nowhere is this more important than during the job interview or meeting clients for the first-time. If you are younger, the more businesslike your clothing, the more credibility you will have. If you are older and seeking a new job make sure your clothing is current, as this signal that your ideas and outlook are current as well.
So How Are Your Soft Skills? The Johnny Paycheck Landscaping team's dress and demeanor at the show really established rapport and credibility. It subconsciously indicated positive traits to potential clients. Traits that came through in their work, judging by their web site's customer testimonials (click here to visit their site).
Following these four tips will pump up your own people skills and give you visible results whether you’re looking for a new job or business relationships. And they don't hurt in building your personal relationships either.
Joanne Blake
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Our Protocol for Building Business Relationships seminars are a great way to increase your people skills. Click here for more information on April 23 Edmonton and June 19 Calgary seminars.
Need some one-on-one professional help to update and revitalize your personal image/brand for success? Joanne is offering image enhancement workshops for career women in Edmonton. Click here for information on these 'Brand' New You workshops.   Business Etiquette, Dress & Dining Contact us with your ideas, stories, questions and opinions.
Weird Clothing Trend:
Why just shop for pajamas
Some readers have sent us stories regarding an unusual clothing trend in Shanghai where people wear their pajamas as streetwear. (You say pajamas, I say pyjamas, let's call the whole thing PJs.)
Just the other day there was an story in our local paper announcing a crackdown by the pajama police and there is now an anti-pajamas campaign to try to clean up Shanghai streets.
Click here to see wild PJ streetwear . We especially liked the fellow riding a motorcycle in his pjs, talk about your Easy Rider.
NOTE - Joanne and I don't recommend this look for business -
~~~ Fun Dining Trend:
Comfort food for the kid in you
Thanks to the reader who sent us the newest developments in Oreo cookies. Those of you with kids may know about this already but for us it was a neat surprise.
I always liked drinking milk with my Oreo cookies, now you really can drink your milk with your Oreo cookies, using an Oreo straw. Yes that's right, a straw made out of Oreo cookies. Click here to see a cute video of how this works and why you need to make sure your kitchen chairs are very sturdy.
- Terry
P.S. If you want to be sure your dining skills look as good as your clothes check out in our Dining For Success video training program.
To view a Free Demo of our Dining for Success Online Training. Click here to log in for a 10 minute free demo Just enter user id - diningsample and password - sampleit
WHAT'S NEW WITH US:
Terry and Joanne are co-facilitating Public Seminars in Edmonton and Calgary
If relationships are important to your business, this is the seminar for you
Protocol For Building Business Relationships Edmonton, Alberta, Fri, April 24, 2009, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Calgary on Thursday, June 11, 2009
According to studies by Harvard and Stanford business schools, the ability to converse and build relationships with employers, colleagues, clients and co-workers is identified as the #1 success factor.
For any professional, acquiring business etiquette, communication and networking skills can effectively boost your profile and engender better business alliances and connections.
This session will enhance both your personal and professional life by providing you with simple strategies to build credibility and rapport with others, overcome shyness and engage in conversations with finesse. Includes a module on professional dress.
Fee:$650 CAD
Session will be repeated in Calgary on Thursday, June 11, 2009
Click here for more info and to register for either seminar. Then click on Course Calendar.
View or print seminar brochure (pdf)
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Joanne's book is almost here!
Executive Image Power Executive Image Power is the key ingredient to building confidence, making a great impression and getting what you want every time. More savvy and sophistication are yours with the insider insights of top corporate image experts. With Executive Image Power you can be your best everyday.
Available for sale May, 2009 ~~~
Public Workshops for Women in Edmonton ‘Brand’ New You - One Day Image Enhancement May and June 2009 at West Edmonton Mall Conference Center
Invest in yourself - to look as vibrant as you feel! Join image expert Joanne Blake for a transformational workshop.
Limited to 10 participants so you receive expert personal advice and tools to transform your personal image in a safe, supportive environment.
This fun and affordable 1 day workshop combines Joanne’s exclusive individual consulting with the best of her popular image seminars to give you a Brand New You. Joanne’s knowledge and warmth enables her to tell you what your best friends won’t.
You will be asking yourself - why didn’t I do this sooner!
Click here for more info and to register for either workshop.
View or print workshop brochure (pdf) ~~~
Looking for entertaining and empowering presentations with a difference for your next conference or retreat? Business dress, etiquette, networking, dining and meeting skills. Check out our website and give us a call.
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