Crystallizations
Embracing CHANGE
May 2009
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| Events |
May 7
Chamber's Status Report
contracting opportunities
May 12
Art from the Heart
benefiting ChildSafe - restoring dignity, trust and hope to children traumatized by sexual abuse
May 13
Meet the Buyers - Bexar County, AT&T, UHS
contracting opportunities
May 15 - 16
AARP Lifestival
Henry Cisneros is speaking
May 22
CHERISH Your Customers
6 hour training program
May 27
Chamber Mixer at the Missions Game
Take me out to the ballgame..
May 28
Making Connections
2 hour training program
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Greetings!
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Wasn't that a glorious Fiesta season? I'm so glad I live in San Antonio!
Stay healthy! Wash your hands for a full 20 seconds and eat your veggies.
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Embracing CHANGE
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"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten,
either write something worth reading or do things worth the writing." - Ben Franklin
"The medium is
the message. This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of
any medium, that is, of any extension of ourselves, result from the new
scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by
any new technology." - Marshall McLuhan
I have to admit it. I have become a Facebook addict. I check it in the morning before I head out
for appointments and post interesting articles that I've found on blogs or in
my email. I check it at the end of the day to see what friends have
posted. I have to limit my time so that
I can get other work done.
I have also started tweeting. For those of you unfamiliar
with the term, you tweet on Twitter by writing 140 words or less about what you
are doing or something you find interesting.
Where is this all leading?
What good are these social and business networking
sites? One of my friends, who I see in
person regularly asked where all this
sharing of information was going to lead. My response to her was "Just
come along for the ride. It's too late to stop it." She brings up a good point, though. What will
the result be?
Although the case can be made that Ben Franklin was the original blogger, I don't think he could have imagined the technology that existed in the time
that McLuhan made his famous pronouncement (Understanding Media: The Extensions
of Man, 1964). McLuhan was an amazing visionary, but I doubt that
even he could have predicted how true his words would become.
It's all about connecting
Social media does exactly what the name implies; it connects people. The majority of my "friends" on Facebook,
MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter are current friends and business associates, but I have
reconnected with friends from high school and college, some of whom I haven't heard from in almost 40 years. It can
drive traffic to your website and help your marketing efforts. It can keep you
up-to-date on news and activities of people and issues. It also can tell you
more about people than you sometimes want to know. (smile)
On LinkedIn, I've joined organizations for speakers and
facilitators. On MySpace, I've listened to emerging musicians. On Facebook, I
am raising money and awareness for ChildSafe here in San Antonio.
It will take us awhile to harness the power of the new media,
establish some guidelines that most will adhere to, and find our way around.
Embracing the change
But this is true with any change in our lives. Change means
that we have to learn new information. We have to figure out what the new rules
are. We have to learn to adjust to the change and make it work to our
advantage.
Leap into the change and join me in the social media world.
Just be cautious. Don't reveal too much
about yourself and fight addiction so you can get some "real work"
done. Embrace the change and connect.
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Puzzle
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 Martha Castro (Administrative Assistant for the Dean of Learning Resources at San Antonio College) knew that this was the 100th anniversary of the Order of the Alamo. Martha won a $25 gift certificate to Nicavid's. It was the 50th anniversary of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission.
In my column this month, I mentioned four social and business networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter.) The first person to name two or more additional social or business networking sites will win a $25 gift certificate at Nicavid's.
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Crystallizations Training
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CHERISH YOUR CUSTOMERS
One Day Session - Friday, May 22,
8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Discover the habits that create problems in customer service, and
develop strategies to overcome these habits while replacing them with
procedures to create successful interactions with customers and
clients. Learn how to create lasting customer relationships and repeat
sales.
Session
fee is $120 (breakfast, lunch and refreshments included). You will leave with a
wealth of information to improve your writing, and handouts that you
can refer to when you encounter problems after the class. Bonuses and
discounts are available for multiple participants
from the same company.  Making Connections (Business Networking) - May 28, 10 a.m. - 12 noonLet me show you
how to feel at ease in networking situations, determine what people
want and how you can help, and create lasting business relationships
through business networking. Learn how the "trilogy of trust" can help
your business. I'll share my years of networking experience and
help you avoid the mistakes that rob you of time as well as money as
you build your network. Per person workshop cost is $30. Ask about discounts. All sessions are held
at The Greater San Antonio Chamber's Small Business Resource Center,
1100 NW Loop 410 Ste 109, San Antonio, TX 78213 in the H.E.B. Federal
Credit Union building, near the corner of Blanco Road and N.W. Loop
410. Call 210-863-2250 or email me at crystal@crystallizations.com to
reserve your space.
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Embrace change in 2009!
Sincerely, CrystalCrystal Darby
Crystal Communications
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