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 or...
stop being so darned professional and tak a break today!
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Welcome! If you enjoyed last month you'll be craaaaazy about this month!
The purpose of this ezine continues to be inspiration, humor, business, personal and just plain fun: aka the don't-take-yourself-so-seriously ezine.
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CONNECT WITH US!
In case you've missed past issues of the ezine Click here to visit the archives. |
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March madness for me is not basketball finals, it's the fabulous frenzy over building my new Vistage CEO group along with my Vistage counterpart, 6543 gal extraordinaire, Mary Hoffman  (left). My outrageous event will be at the Park Hyatt on March 19th and I can't wait to be with all the people I've pre-selected and hopefully more to come. There's still time to let me know if you're interested, or if you want to refer someone.
I did one speaking gig locally and one in Colorado Springs but most of the month was more pleasure...part of reinventing myself to spend more time at my Chicago and Naples homes doing what I love to do...checking off my list each month. So far I've enrolled in Kabbalah classes, volunteered at The Cara Program, studied my Rosetta Stone Italian (for trip in 2014) and added tango classes. All three divisions of The Mikki Mouth Club are up and running and I'm thoroughly enjoying them (and I think the participants are too!). I did Keynote Kamp (that's one of the divisions) this weekend with Jeanne Malnati  (right) of Lou Malnati's pizza fame.
I went to a networking event with gal pal Sandy Rueve (left) before she left for her sabbatical in Santa Fe. So, alas, no 6543 dinner this month, but did have dinner with, Michele  (right) at a great new restaurant, The Boarding House. And I FINALLY got reservations at RPM, Julianna and Bill Rancic's restaurant, and enjoyed dinner with Vistage member, Sheri Miller (left). 
I spent some wonderful down-time at my Florida digs. But the highlight of the month was my CEO retreat in Palm Springs at the oh, so glitzy Riviera (someone said it looked like someone came in and "threw up Mikki"!). 
Some of my favorite moments at the retreat: our speaker Ann Marie Houghtailing (right), our group and spouses  (below), member Rich Westrick (below left) displaying his talents on the piano with his adoring female fans, and one of many funny moments at dinner with  Clark Bellin (member from Nebraska) and Brian Beaulieu (member from New Hampshire) sharing a "moment" as Brian's new bride enjoys the scene. FYI, the photo at the top of me beaming over two awards are ones I received this month from Vistage; one for Chair Excellence in running my groups and the other for Speaker prowess and induction into the elite 500 Club (that refers to presentations not members). Happy almost-spring everyone!!
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NOW...not one, not two, but THREE divisions of
The Mikki Mouth Club!
CLICK HERE for more information
If you want Mikki's expertise at an affordable price on an ongoing basis The Mikki Mouth Club is for you.
Questions? We've got answers!!
Just call 312.664.8447 or send us an email
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I Got This
How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down
by Jennifer Hudson
This book is exciting, inspirational and honest. This is Jennifer's journey from a girl growing up on Chicago's South Side to performing on the American Idol stage to winning an Oscar for her first film role in Dream Girls. This isn't just a book about weight loss, it's a story of being true to yourself, of self esteem, of tenacity. It's a story of dreaming big, winning big and losing big by one of today's most beautiful voices and brightest Hollywood stars.
GO GET THIS BOOK! |
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Don't Sleep With a Drip, Call a Plumber. (Plumber's truck)
Invite Us To Your Next Blowout. (Tire shop in Milwaukee)
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These give "Mary Jane's" a whole new meaning.
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If you're like me and enthusiastically sign up for new, interesting sounding services... only to then realize that you've inadvertently filled your email inbox with a ridiculous amount of junk/bulk mail, The Swizzle is a tool you really need to try.
It's the simplest way I've found to unsubscribe from all those mailing lists that seemed like a good idea at the time but soon stalked your inbox,
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MIKKI MOUTH Things I Wish I'd Said and Some I Did Say!
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Enjoy a quote each month from my book - some funny, some poignant, some professional, some just darn cute!
"Anyone acquainted with Ireland knows that the morning of St. Patrick's Day consists of the night of the 17th of March flavored strongly with the morning of the 18th."
~Author unknown
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 The very first St. Patrick's Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in Boston in 1737. The largest parade in the U.S., held since 1762, is in New York City. Over 100 U.S. cities hold a parade every year. Some of the other big St. Patrick's Day parades are in Chicago and Savannah, Georgia. Here in Chicago we go so far to celebrate that we dye our river green.
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Dave Nelsen
Dave's formal title is President, Dialog Consulting Group.
From 2005 to 2009 he was CEO of TalkShoe, a social media company now serving more than one million monthly listeners...and the fabulous company I use to produce my monthly teleseminars.
Customer Testimonials in a Social World
In business, we've long utilized customer testimonials to help us attract new prospects. Typically, we've done it in text form but how convincing is that? Anybody could have written or edited them. And text does little to convey emotion and enthusiasm.
Even so, we rely on written customer testimonials because we know that what others say about us is more credible than what we say about ourselves. More than 75% of people trust what they hear about us from their peers. According to the 2013 Edelman Trust Barometer, just 17% "trust a great deal" what we say about ourselves.
What if your prospects could see your customers talking about you in a video? Social is increasingly about video. And YouTube (the leading video site) long ago passed Yahoo and Bing as the number two search engine (behind Google itself, YouTube's owner).
They don't want to hear your customers saying how awesome you are. Instead, your prospects want to hear about what your customers have accomplished using your products and services. Remember, in marketing it's not about you, it's about them, their objectives, and their customers.
You don't need to hire a video production company because you're not looking to make a commercial. We've all seen plenty of those and we know how to tune them out.
Instead, grab your Android or iPhone and go to your customers' sites. Or find them at tradeshows or industry events where there's energy in the air and many of them in attendance. In either case, you'll have authenticity working for you.
Ask your customers to talk for 15 seconds about their situation before doing business with you. They'll describe the same pain that your best prospects are experiencing. Then, have them talk for 45 seconds about what they've been able to achieve using your products and services. They'll paint the same beautiful bridge that you want your prospects to cross.
I have a few other tips: With your camera phone in hand, stand just 3 to 4 feet away from the person, framing their head and shoulders with the camera at eye height. This makes it feel like we're face-to-face with the person, increasing trust. Avoid windows and bright backgrounds. You don't want your customer to appear to be in the witness protection program.
Typically, the camera's forward-facing microphone is sufficient to pick-up the audio. By not pinning a microphone on your subject, you're simplifying the process and increasing authenticity. Just avoid windy or noisy environments.
If a particular video doesn't work out, you've lost just a few minutes. There's no rule that says you have to use every attempt. One marketing manager told me that in one hour she captured ten testimonials at a tradeshow and that six were fabulous. Use those six.
So where should you post your videos? I recommend putting them on your website on a "customers stories" page or peppering them throughout your blog. If your business sells primarily to consumers or to a relatively large business audience, post the videos on YouTube on your own channel.
Be sure to include relevant keywords in the titles and descriptions so that your videos are found when people search for what you do. This alone can increase your website traffic by 10 to 20 percent, and maybe more.
And one last thought: Google and Apple are investing millions in speech-to-text conversion. It won't be long before the words in your videos are included in the search algorithms. So include a few keywords in the content itself. Your videos will only become more effective over time.
You can find more formal details here:
wesocialize.biz
To contact Dave directly:
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B rian Beaulieu is the "economist with a personality" (my title not his) . He is one of the country's leading economists, MY Vistage member, a phenomenal speaker, brilliant businessman and a special friend. CEOs worldwide rely on his forecasting as they plan their business year. And for anyone trying to understand the economy, Brian speaks and writes in English not in that foreign language called economicspeak. Enjoy!
Oh Canada! In rough terms, Canada's economy is 9.8% the size of the US economy. GDP per capita in Canada stand at $41,500; the US is higher at $49,500 (24th and 12th highest in the world, respectively). However, and importantly, our smaller, slightly less affluent (as measured by GDP per capital) neighbor to the north did not suffer the housing meltdown that we did in the U.S., nor is it on the road to bankruptcy. The average cost of a home in Canada is $352,800, as compared to a median of $172,400 in the US. You may notice that the two systems do not equate given one is an average and the other is a median, but you get the idea nonetheless. The strength in the Canadian market is partially the result of solid banking rules that prohibited the risky lending we had in the U.S.. It should also be noted that the Canadian system does not depend on tax incentives from personal mortgage interest deductions. There is no need for any government to prop up a segment of the economy for which there is a natural demand. A slow phase-out of the housing interest deduction in the U.S. would not hurt the U.S. housing industry. Our neighbor to the north also has a great balance sheet, despite what is generally viewed as a more generous entitlement platform that encompasses the entire population. Canada's federal debt is just 38.9% of GDP (ours is 103.3%). Their federal debt is roughly 3.7% of our federal debt, which is disproportionately small given their economy is 9.8% the size of ours. How did Canada do this? Simple, they cut spending more than they raised taxes. Raising taxes for more programs is not the answer. Cutting spending and limiting the federal government will reap great benefits in the years to come. Canada has shown us that this is possible and ultimately beneficial, as they will be paying down their national debt in a few years while we are still piling it on. Learn more about the future at www.itreconomics.com or by sending an email today to Kim Clark: kim@itreconomics.com |
LIFE LESSONS...FUNNY, FIT  OR FABULOUS
Submitted by John Godoy
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That was the name of one of my businesses and oh, come on,  I know guys cook, too.
Porter Cake Serves 10 to 12  This traditional Irish cake uses a porter, such as Guinness, Beamish or Murphy's, and is a deliciously rich and moist fruit cake. Make it a few days in advance of the celebratory event (it's perfect for St Patrick's Day) if you like, and it will improve even more!
3-1/2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour1 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (mixed spice)1 teaspoon baking powderPinch of salt1 cup butter1 cup packed light brown sugar1 pound golden raisins (sultanas) or raisins or a mixture of both3 ounces chopped candied peel, store-bought or homemade2 eggs1 (12-ounce) bottle porter or stout Preheat the oven to 350�F. Line the sides and bottom of an 8-inch high-sided round cake pan (the sides should be about 2-3/4 inches) with waxed (greaseproof) paper. Sift flour, nutmeg, spice, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter, then stir in the brown sugar, raisins and candied peel. Whisk the eggs in another bowl and add the porter. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for about 2 hours. If the cake starts to brown too quickly on top, cover it with aluminum foil or waxed (greaseproof) paper after about 1 hour. The cake is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to sit in the pan for about 20 minutes before turning it out and cooling it on a wire rack. |
 Two Irish mothers, Kate and Lorna, were talking about their sons. Kate says, 'My Patrick is such a saint. He works hard, doesn't smoke, and he hasn't so much as looked at a woman in over two years.'
Lorna responds, 'Well, my Francis is a saint himself. Not only has he not looked at a woman in over three years, but he hasn't touched a drop of liquor in all that time.'
'My word,' says Kate, 'You must be so proud.'
'I am,' announces Lorna, 'And when he's paroled next month, I'm going to throw him a big party.' |
Be Outrageous...it's The Only Place That Isn't Crowded.
~Mikki Williams
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PRIVILEGE
The privilege of a lifetime is to be yourself.
~Joseph Campbell 
The greatest discovery
Of my life is my Soul's purpose.
The answers to the question
"Who am I?"
are within me.
Even when I am unaware,
I know who I am.
I am an individualized
Expression of Universal Love.
It is, indeed, a privilege to be me.
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Visionary - adjective (esp. of a person), thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom
 I speak of volunteerism is my speeches. I tell stories to inspire and challenge audiences to volunteer as individuals, as responsible business and community leaders. as parents/grandparents, and to get their children involved early. By the way, volunteerism is the number one way to raise self-esteem. What are you doing in this visionary effort? Each month I will give you a link to a site where you can volunteer. Please send me a link to your favorite volunteer opportunity to post.
Volunteer solutions helping volunteers meet the nonprofits that need their help.
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 Check out where Mikki will be speaking and piggyback your company or association event. Or just invite her to dinner or shopping!
Click here for her calendar:
Mikki On The Move
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The next Speakers School is in session on
APRIL 11-13, 2013 in Chicago
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
CALL NOW FOR MORE DETAILS: 312.664.8447
OR SEND AN EMAIL TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION.
Upcoming Speakers Schools:
April 11-13, 2013
September 26-28, 2013
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Mikki Williams, CSP (certified speaking professional, an honor bestowed on less than 600 speakers worldwide) specializes in business dynamics and human potential. She has been named one of the top speakers in the country by
Meetings and Convention Magazine along with Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Colin Powell, Lou Holtz and Mike Ditka. Mikki is also one of the top tier speaker resources for Vistage International, the world's leading executive organization, and Group Chair of two of their peer advisory boards in Chicago.
Her company Mikki Williams Unltd. produces Speakers Schools in Chicago, a monthly ezine: Hair She Is...! and a blog: Mikki Williams' Blah Blah...Blog. She is sought after for business, life and presentation skills coaching through her firm Coaching, etc... She also facilitates The Mikki Mouth Club, an annual subscription-based presentation skills coaching membership with three distinct divisions...Speaker Source, Accountability Academy and Keynote Kamp. If you need other speakers, she can book you the best through her Outrageous Orators...speakers who rock, an uncommon speakers bureau.
To hire Mikki or learn more about any of these services:
CALL ME: 312.664.8447
FAX ME: 312.664.8460
E ME: mikki@mikkiwilliams.com
SEE ME: www.mikkiwilliams.com
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 Thanks for spending time with us! |
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All contents � 2012 Mikki Williams, except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. Duplication or reprint only with expressed permission from Mikki Williams. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. All contents provided as is.
In our extensive research we've made every attempt to be accurate in attributing quotes, poems, jokes and the like, and want to apologize in advance if we have not given proper credit or given it erroneously. If you are the owner of the rights of any of this content, please contact us so we may arrange for appropriate permission and give credit.
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