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The Joy of Connecting Blog
Apr
10
2013
JOC is transforming their vision.
 Professional JOC business women are smiling because they know a great secret is unveiling… JOC asks, “What does personal growth mean to today’s modern women’s networking groups and business owners?”
Here is a sneak preview from some of the JOC leaders http://youtu.be/IiuMziGuPEw
The Joy of Connecting will announce more about this on April 15, 2013.
Bonnie Ross-Parker will energize you about taking your business to the next level by supporting and networking with other female business owners!
The Joy of Connecting is evolving. Hint: If you’re all about personal and professional growth, you’ll love it. Stay tuned.
Apr
9
2013
JOC – a wonderful gathering for professional women & guests
 Bonnie shared with me how JOC works and I knew it was for me, but there was no location near me. So I decided to become a leader. YOU JUST EXPERIENCED JOC FOR THE FIRST TIME. WHAT ARE YOU FEELING?
I met Bonnie online and then spoke with her by phone about JOC. I applied and decided to become a JOC Leader without ever attending a JOC event. I just remember thinking that it sounded so much better than the networking events that I had attended and groups that I had joined.
WHAT WERE YOUR INTITIAL THOUGHTS?
I flew down to Atlanta and attended 2 JOC events—Bonnie’s and another licensee. I LOVED it!!! I was so glad that I had taken the leap of faith. The events were even better than I had anticipated.
HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT FROM JOC?
It helps me to step out of my comfort zone and meet other women but in a non-threatening way. I love that it allows me to build relationships and get to know other women. One of my regular attendees says she loves the “intimacy” of the group…sharing a meal and chatting with other women about who they are, not just what they do.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF HELPING OTHER PROFESSIONAL WOMAN TO GROW?
I see myself helping women in the way that I needed help…utilizing my strengths and realizing that I have gifts and talents to share.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE EDUCATIONAL FOCUS; how do you think that will affect you as a leader and the membership at large?
I believe the Educational Focus will definitely be the thing that sets my event apart from the others. School is never out for the Pro. There are women who have been building their businesses for a while that will learn something new or see things from a different perspective. And there will be women who are just starting out that will get information to help them move forward.
WHAT DOES INTEGRITY MEAN TO YOU?
(Integrity: Having to do with doing what you say you’re going to do and actually doing it.)
Integrity is EVERYTHING. When you say you’re going to do something and you follow through people will definitely trust you and then they will continue to align themselves with you in the future because of that trust. I know I feel that way.
There are many benefits to building a home based business and becoming a JOC Leader. Contact Lara to learn more lsodon@xperienceconnections.com and visit her busines at http://www.LaraSodon.com
Apr
7
2013
Virtual Assistance helps you focus on growing your business while handling your office needs.
 Virtual Assistance services are about making your company look good, says Annette Walden Mason. Where has the time gone. One of my goals for the first of this year was to start an email newsletter. Now here it is 4 months into the year and I finally got the first one published.
Lots has happened over the past few years both personal and business wise. I have re-evaluated my business and the products and services I offer. I’ve had people to tell me they love the products and services I offer and want to use them, but don’t know where to start. As always, I’m more than willing to show, teach, and coach individuals on how and what to do, but then I hear, I don’t have the time. So I am now offering Virtual Assistant services. Meaning, I will do it for you. I am really enjoying helping others to ‘Stay Top of Mind’ with their clients and prospects. Listed in the next section are some of the virtual assistance services I offer. The list keeps growing as clients ask me if I can do something else for them thus, a new aspect of business is born. If you know of someone who could use any of these services, please give them my information. I would greatly appreciate the referral.
- EMail Marketing/Database Management/Newsletter Design Creation/Custom Greeting Cards & Postcards/Gifts & Gift Cards/Flyer & Brochure Design/Business Cards
- Calendars
- Social Media Consulting & Implentation
- Social Media posting
- Banner Design for Social Media Sites
- Website Tools, i.e. domain registration, url forwarding, email accounts, website hosting, marketing tools, etc.
- Client Follow-up
- Advertising and marketing
- Video Tablet Training
We would love to be of service to you and your business.
Annette is all about Helping Your Business Look Good. To learn more about her virtual assistance services visit https://www.facebook.com/#!/PaintedLadyEnterprises.
In order to build a relationship it’s important to stay in touch. This applies in our personal lives as well as business. Just like we nurture a relationship with a new friend we want to nurture our relationship with prospects so they will become our new client. In order to nurture that relationship, contact is necessary. Contact Annette Walden to learn more about virtual assistance.
Apr
7
2013
Relationships can turn into Loyal Customers, says Annette Walden Mason
 Relationships – 68% of clients leave because of perceived indifference. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. ~ Robert Collier In order to build relationships it’s important to stay in touch. This applies in our personal lives as well as business. Just like we nurture relationships with new friends, we want to nurture our relationship with prospects so they will become our new client. In order to nurture that relationship, contact is necessary.
Not everyone we meet wants or needs our products or service….now. But, if we stay in touch and offer value in our communication, perhaps that will change and/or the prospect will refer us when asked, ‘who do you know who sells…..’
Sometimes people just don’t respond to our time table. People are busy. Life happens. People forget. Our priorities are not their priorities. Building relationships with people and trying to establish a helpful giving attitude will come back tenfold.
We can expand the ways we keep in touch, which might include: phone calls, one on ones, post cards, letters, greeting cards, emails, audios, videos, etc. Then mix up the forms of contact creating interest and anticipation and offering value. Although we may have a lot of information of interest about our business, it is important in building relationships that we take into consideration the interest of our prospect. By notating their interests and following up with them with information shows that we do truly care about building the relationship.
Every business and sales person can benefit from relationship marketing. By building the relationship and keeping in touch with clients is a great referral source. I refer to these clients as a “Golden Referral Source.” If the sales person builds a solid relationship with their client, found them the perfect, home, car, etc., AND stays in touch with them over the years, they will receive referrals and more business from that client for years to come.
Some companies are cutting their prices to keep clients in today’s economy. If a company has a quality product, outstanding service, is dependable, and has built a solid relationship by staying in touch, then that customer is not going to stray just because they might save a few dollars. They realize that the relationship and service they have received is a better value.
Here are some ways to stay in front of your clients.
- Follow up with a phone call, offer industry information on a periodic basis
- Mailing them something personal not bulk or junk mail.
- Personal visit to their place of business and not necessarily to make a sale
- Be their business partner. Take a personal interest in their success.
- Willingness to help even if there is no monetary gain now
Zig Ziglar says that if you help enough people to get what they want, you’ll get what you want.
Remember that it is more costly to find a new customer than it is to maintain and keep the ones we currently have. If we maintain 5% of our current clientele we can double our business. Because they will come back to us time and time again and will refer others to us.
68% of clients leave because of perceived indifference. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. ~ Robert Collier
From the blog of PaintedLadyMusings.com. I write mostly about Relationship Marketing, Networking, and Business related topics, but from time to time I muse about something else. Your comments are welcomed and appreciated.
Apr
5
2013
Complimentary Workshop being offered in Smyrna, GA
 Bonnie Ross-Parker will facilitate a free business workshop at Brawner Hall, Smyrna, GA. Her content rich presentations and interactive workshops provide strategies that are practical and easy to implement. A complimentary business workshop titled “Are YOU a Savvy Networker” will be offered to business owners on Thursday, May 9. The workshop will be hosted by the City of Smyrna and Bonnie Ross-Parker of The Joy of Connecting. The business workshop will be held at Brawner Hall (3180 Atlanta Rd). The program is for the startup entrepreneur and experienced professional alike. Bonnie Ross-Parker, the founder and CEO of The Joy of Connecting, will facilitate the session.
Check-in and networking begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by an interactive workshop from 10:30-11:45 a.m.. You may register here or call 678-631-5419 by May 7.
Networking is widely regarded as important for establishing relationships and generating leads. Despite its advantages, networking is still a challenge for many people. In this event, participants will be exposed to a variety of techniques that can bring intentionality and effectiveness to your networking efforts. Whether you are promoting your business, yourself, or a great cause, this workshop can help.
Apr
5
2013
Seven Traits of A True Woman Entrepreneur
 Bonnie Ross-Parker is a distinctive entrepreneur who wants to teach you how to differentiate yourself and your business from others. Being an entrepreneur in today’s economy is tough. Women entrepreneurs do not have it any easier than men. Some may say it is harder for women, but in either case, there is not going to be any easy successes anytime soon in the entrepreneurial world. What is it about the successful entrepreneur that is integral to that success? Do women entrepreneurs have common traits that help with success? Is it luck, is it the product, or is it something about that woman that meant she would probably be successful at anything she tried?
The woman entrepreneur will need a little bit of luck, but she will also need a lot of drive, faith, energy, and vision to reach her goal. Here are a few common traits of the successful female entrepreneur:
1. Drive. Failure is not an option for the committed entrepreneur. Bumps in the road will not set her back, but will only steel her resolve. She is on a mission and knows she will get to her goal.
2. Vision. The female entrepreneur is a big-picture person. She can see her successful business, what it looks like with all of its components. She can see her product on the shelves, her services in action. She is not only not afraid to dream big, but she views daydreams as achievable.
3. Autonomy. This woman likes to be in control and is not afraid to make decisions by herself. She is comfortable with being alone and has confidence in her intelligence. She is a take-charge person. This woman does not wait for someone else to act and does not second guess her choices.
4. Intuitive. The woman entrepreneur trusts her instincts about her product or service, the market, and her business management skills. She uses her instinct as well as her research and her knowledge to guide her business decisions. She knows that her instincts will be what sets her apart from her competitors and will ultimately lead to her success.
5. Distinctive. People remember this woman. She is distinctive, her product or service is distinctive, and her company is distinctive. There is nothing ordinary here.
 If you are focused on growth, on increasing your performance and being ethical in all your endeavors, being an entrepreneur is the right profession for you. 6. Planner. This woman not only devises and puts down on paper her business plan, she follows it. She does not lose sight of her goals or her methods for reaching her goals. When she reaches a fork in the road, she might explore the alternate route and add it to her business plan, but she never forgets her vision. Her business plan is the written version of the vision she sees in her mind.
7. Risk-taker. Starting a business is not the first time this woman has thrown the dice. She is not afraid to bet everything on herself. She has been known to jump before.
True entrepreneurs are a rare breed. Those men and women who can truly create and lead their own original business are a combination of the visionary and the realist. For the true female entrepreneur, the stakes may be high and the odds may be long. If she is committed, there is no other option for this woman. If you are focused on growth, on increasing your performance and being ethical in all your endeavors, being an entrepreneur is the right profession for you.
Step-up your networking skills and learn more on ways to differentiate yourself from others by clicking on TIP #7.
Apr
3
2013
Integrity dictates our growth and performance, says New JOC Leader, Geneva Wirtz.
 Integrity:•Having to do with doing what you say you’re going to do and actually doing it. Integrity; to understand the definition of integrity is to obtain some insight into the solid character of Geneva Wirtz.
What a delight it is to be talking with one of our New JOC Leaders. She is a hard-working, all American, professional woman. Geneva, you are gleaming! And you have just experienced JOC for the first time.
WHAT ARE YOU FEELING?
The first thing that I noticed about the group is that there truly are no strangers. I could not tell from my own observation, who was new and who had been there every month. They were instantly inclusive, interested in me and my business, and committed to the organization’s purpose. JOC is an innovative, non-membership, networking experience which fosters connections that go far beyond the traditional stack of business cards. And once a month, like-minded business women gather in a relaxed, fun and comfortable atmosphere to share a meal and learn about each other and the businesses they represent. I really believe that uou owe it to yourself and your business to participate in this truly unique networking experience!.
WHAT WERE YOUR INTITIAL THOUGHTS?
That I had found a group of kindred spirits who were committed to success and enjoying life at the same time.
HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT FROM JOC?
The group will enable me to get to know members of my target audience throughout the metro area, increasing my potential sales exponentially.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF HELPING OTHER PROFESSIONAL WOMAN TO GROW?
Just being able to continue to bring a variety of women together to share their common goals and interests and their life lessons learned.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE EDUCATIONAL FOCUS; how do you think that will affect you as a leader and the membership at large?
I think it’s a critical part of the program. If you stop learning, you’re dead especially in business. It gives women a non-threatening arena to hone their new skills.
WHAT DOES INTEGRITY MEAN TO YOU?
(Integrity:·Having to do with doing what you say you’re going to do and actually doing it.) Integrity is accountability combined with responsibility. It’s about honoring your commitments. Doing what you say you’ll do and following it through to the best possible conclusion.
I finally found a business opportunity that I’m crazy about – Jockey Person to Person. Give me a call. I will gladly share the details. Now is the time!!! EMAIL: geneva.wirtz@facebook.com Geneva can be reached on FACE BOOK and is looking forward to helping you grow your business.
Click HERE to learn how you can become a JOC Leader with Bonnie Ross-Parker, CEO/Founder of “The Joy of Connecting.”
Apr
2
2013
Growth is important to Bobbie Kern and becoming a new leader for JOC is just another example of her strong belief.
 Continued Growth: Our very own Bobbie Kern is the recipient of the Woman of the Year award from The National Association of Professional Women. Congratulations Bobbie!!! After attending her first JOC meeting, Bobbie recognized the importance and potential of growth within the organization. Growth tastes sweet to an entrepreneur like Bobbie and she is ready to help others connect. Bobbie has a heart to teach like minded women and was delighted to share her thoughts with us during this interview.
BOBBIE KERN, YOU HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED JOC FOR THE FIRST TIME. WHAT ARE YOU FEELING?
I have been looking for Real Women that had like minds and like hearts. I wanted women who were professional, but an environment where I could actually talk and meet them. YEAH!!!! I found it!!!
WHAT WERE YOUR INTITIAL THOUGHTS? Friendly, warm and inviting. Classy.
HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT FROM JOC? Meeting and sharing, being able to grow a business, but more importantly, helping one another. Making new friends.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF HELPING OTHER PROFESSIONAL WOMAN TO GROW? Sharing of ideas, referring when possible and assisting others where I can by using my professional background in helping them over a hurdle or provide ideas for growth.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE EDUCATIONAL FOCUS; how do you think that will affect you as a leader and the membership at large? Learning is one the most important skills that anyone can continue in their life. With knowledge comes empowerment. If I continue to learn and can impart that to the team then we all win and will become successful.
WHAT DOES INTEGRITY MEAN TO YOU? (Integrity:· Having to do with doing what you say you’re going to do and actually doing it.)
My word is my bond. If I say I am going to do it, you can take it to the bank. Integrity is essential in my personal makeup.
Thank you so much for reaching out to me. I love the professionalism of this organization and so thankful I found it.
Bobbie Kern, Licensed Agent / Regional Director: Wine, Women & Wealth @ 1424 North Brown Rd / Suite 200 / Lawrenceville, Ga 30043 / Office: 678.969.9000 / Cell: 404.304.8373 / Fax: 678.680.4992
Watch and respond to Bonnie Ross-Parker’s call to action as she talks about becoming a leader for The JOY of Connecting http://youtu.be/0OGFsnCDXcQ
Apr
1
2013
Come out and Support Bonnie Ross-Parker’s Team on May 31st, 2013
The Relay for Life event www.RelayForLife.org/ViningsSmyrnaGA is on May 31st and Bonnie Ross-Parker is one of the top participants. Bonnie invites you to join her team for fighting cancer and finding a cure.
Bonnie Ross-Parker is also looking for supporters (pledges) and walkers. If this sounds like something you would like to do for your community, please do not hesitate to register HERE.
 Bonnie Ross-Parker is looking for walkers and supporters for her “Relay for Life” team. Come on out on May 31st. We’ll have so much fun together while supporting a great cause. Who I’m Participating For
My reason for participating in my Relay For Life event is personal. We all participate in Relay events because we’ve been affected by cancer in some way and because a Relay For Life event gives us the power to make a difference and fight back. This is my opportunity to honor cancer survivors, remember people we have lost, and help raise funds for groundbreaking research, information and services for people fighting cancer.
Dr. Gordy Klatt founded Relay For Life in 1985 to raise funds for the American Cancer Society by doing something he liked – running. Dr. Klatt is currently undergoing treatment for stomach cancer. We are very excited to announce that; pending his recovery, Dr Gordy Klatt will be making a VERY RARE East Coast appearance at Relay For Life of Vinings-Smyrna, GA on Friday, May 31, 2013!!!
Please light a luminaria to honor this incredible man’s lifesaving impact and to serve as a symbol of hope for a world without cancer. You may personalize your Luminaria to remember a loved one who lost the battle with cancer as I am doing in my moms memory. You can also choose to honor a loved one who is currently a Survivor and is fighting back against cancer.
Relay For Life of Vinings – Smyrna, GA Team Rally is Tuesday, APRIL 9th, 2013 & begins at 7:00 pm at
La Paz Vinings Restaurant & Cantina, Lower level
Visit http://facebook.com/RelayForLifeofViningsSmyrnaGA for more details!
Consider joining Bonnie Ross Parker’s Relay for Life team! We’ll have so much fun together while supporting a great cause. Help create a world with more birthdays & less cancer.
Mar
28
2013
Many of us have a love/hate relationship with change. We would like things to get better, however, we do not embrace change easily. I realized after the 10th anniversary of The Joy of Connecting, it was time for a change. Call it a face lift. Call it a renaissance. Identify it as ‘keeping up with the times.’
 Change is coming to JOC Spring 2013 However I decided to describe it, I was willing to face major changes. Would those familiar with my brand accept an updated version? Would I fall in love with the new model having raised the previous one? Would the input, focus groups and feedback I had requested guide me toward the direction I needed to go? For me, this represented a huge decision. As I did my research, collaborated with others and ultimately approved major changes, I became empowered. The shift in my energy was dramatic. My enthusiasm expanded. I found myself in the throws of creativity and anticipation. I wonder if you can identify with this process. Perhaps you also recognize you have to make changes in business or, perhaps, in your personal life. You are standing on the edge of a decision and wonder if leaving the security of the known is worth the insecurity of the unknown. I get it. We all endure change. Some changes are of our own choosing. Some changes are out of our control. Just know that everything is changing every day.
Subtle though it may be, we are all facing change. Having been through this experience, it is my belief that creating change and embracing the growth and opportunities that follow are filled with possibilities. How will you know what possibilities lay ahead if you are unwilling to risk being open minded to change because you are stuck? Curious about the changes to our program? Visit www.TheJOYofConnecting.com on April 15th. I’m confident you’ll share my enthusiasm.
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