Monthly Archives: June 2010

How to Establish a “Life Stories” Hospice Program. Part One

Posted on June 30, 2010 | 12 Comments

Those of you interested in building a sustainable life stories program at your local hospice will need more than good will and enthusiasm although that helps.  I hope that the experience I gained in establishing a life stories service at Victoria Hospice will be of help to you.

One of the factors that weighed in my favor was the growing academic research supporting the value of life stories. It’s not uncommon for some medical professionals to see life stories as a frill, not something that can complement end-of-life support. Being armed with the relevant research can bolster your proposal.

Here’s a suggestion. Before attempting to initiate a hospice life stories program, familiarize yourself with the research. Two studies in particular that I’d recommend are :

Dignity Therapy: A Novel Psychotherapeutic Intervention for Patients Near the End of Life. Harvey Max Chochinov, Thomas Hack, Thomas Hassard, Linda J. Kristjanson, Susan McClement, and Mike Harlos.  Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2005; Vol. 23, No. 24

Ninety-one percent of participants reported being satisfied with  Dignity Therapy; 76% reported a heightened sense of dignity; 68% an increased sense of purpose; 67% a heightened sense of meaning; 47% an increased will to live; 81% reported that it had already, or would be of help to their family.

Legacy Activities as Interventions Approaching the End of Life. Rebecca S. Allen, Michelle M. Hilgeman, Margaret A. Ege, John L. Shuster, Louis D. Burgio. Journal of Palliative Medicine. September 2008, 11(7): 1029-1038. doi:10.1089/jpm.2007.0294.

Intervention patients reported decreased breathing difficulty and increased religious meaning. Caregivers and patients reported greater social interaction on the part of the patient. All participants in the intervention group initiated a Legacy activity and reported that Legacy improved family communication. Legacy interventions hold promise and are simple to implement.

Other studies of older people and reminiscence have also shown promising results. One in particular is:

Evaluating the Impact of  Reminiscence on the Quality of Life of Older People. A report by the Economic and Social Research Council about a piece of research on reminiscence they carried out with 142 older people in 2003.

Reminiscence activity results in psychological benefit for older people. Older people in our study who participated in activities were found at the end of the period of intervention to have better psychological morale and less psychological morbidity, and show more positive emotion and less negative emotion, than older people in our study who had not participated in our activities.

A  pioneer in the interdisciplinary study of aging is Robert N. Butler. One of his seminal articles,  Age, Death, and Life Review, is a must read. This article originally appeared in Living With Grief: Loss in Later Life, Kenneth J. Doka, Editor,  © Hospice Foundation of America, 2002.

The life review, as sometimes manifested by nostalgia and reminiscence, is a natural healing process. It represents one of the underlying human capacities on which all psychotherapy depends. Some of the positive results of a life review can be the righting of old wrongs, making up with estranged family members or friends, coming to accept one’s mortality, gaining a sense of serenity, pride in accomplishment, and a feeling of having done one’s best.

In Part Two, I’ll look at some of the practical steps that will help ensure the successful implementation of a hospice life stories program.

Photo by iStockphoto

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Posted in End of life, How to, Life stories, Palliative care, Personal historian, Uncategorized

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Monday’s Link Roundup.

Posted on June 28, 2010 | Leave a comment

This Monday’s Link Roundup will warm the hearts of “nappers”. If you’re like me, a nap is quite delicious. In fact, I consider myself an expert napper. Be sure to check out A midday nap markedly boosts the brain’s learning capacity. Apparently,  I’m getting smarter by the minute!

  • The Importance of Storytelling in Marketing. “A story can be a really powerful way of illustrating the value of you product and in my experience is often the way that your prospects and customers will explain what you do to others.”
  • A midday nap markedly boosts the brain’s learning capacity. “New research from the University of California, Berkeley, shows that an hour’s nap can dramatically boost and restore your brain power. Indeed, the findings suggest that a biphasic sleep schedule not only refreshes the mind, but can make you smarter.”
  • YourNextRead Tells You What Book You Should Read Next. “Tell YourNextRead what book you just finished—and enjoyed!—and it will generate a web of eight related books. You can click on any of the books to learn more about it which will, in turn, generate a new web that’s based on that book. Alternatively you can use the thumbs up/down buttons to agree or disagree with the suggestions that YourNextRead gives you.”
  • Thomas Edison – In His Own Words. “On October 21, 1929, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and President Herbert Hoover shared a stage in Schenectady, New York. Earlier in the evening, Albert Einstein had joined them via a recording made in Berlin, Germany and then sent to Schenectady for the occasion. The evening’s words were recorded on a device called a pallophotophone. Edison died two years later. The recordings were one of the few occasions in which Edison’s voice was ever recorded and possibly the last such recording every made of his voice.”
  • Top Ten Most Popular Online Genealogy Magazines. “This list was prepared by Alexa. Alexa is the world’s leading company for measuring internet traffic. The company monitors the web traffic of millions of Internet sources, including thousands of genealogy sites. Web traffic is objectively categorized based on the actual number of visitors to each web site. From these Internet traffic statistics, Alexa maintains a list of the most popular online genealogy magazines.”
  • Resources for Writing Memoir.“Last week I tweeted this advice on writing memoir: “Please don’t submit your memoir until you’ve read 20 good memoirs and 5 books on writing memoir – and learned from them…After my tweet, many people asked me for recommendations, so here they are.”

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Wow! More Free Resources!

Posted on June 24, 2010 | 2 Comments

As those of you who frequent my site know, I occasionally pull together free Internet resources. Previously I compiled a mega list of 100 Free Resources for Personal Historians. This was followed by 20 More Free Resources for Personal Historians and More Free Stuff! Well I’m back with more free resources to help you with your personal history work. Please note I don’t personally endorse any of these sites because I haven’t tested or used all of them. If you are familiar with some of these services  or products and would like to leave a comment about your experience with them, I’d welcome such a review.

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25+ Free Vector World Maps. “If you are in search of a high quality vector World map, then your search is now over. Most of the vector maps below are of the highest detail and accuracy, some have been designed specifically for designers and others to be used by everyone for whatever the project. They are all in either .ai (Illustrator) format, .eps format or .svg formats.”

Photovisi. “…a free and easy to use online tool to create photo collages. Select one of the many collage templates, add your photos and then customize by dragging items around. After the collage is finished, it’s available for download and print!”

Diagram Designer. “Simple vector graphics editor for creating flowchart, diagrams and slide shows.”

30 Boxes – Online Calendar. “…lets you connect with the people who matter most.”

Zoho. “… a suite of online applications (services) that you sign up for and access from our Website. The applications are free for individuals and some have a subscription fee for organizations.”

Wordle.“…a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes.”

Babylon. [Free Trial] “It offers text translation in 33 languages and Wikipedia results in 21 languages, all in a single click.”

The Levelator. “Do you believe in magic? You will after using The Levelator® to enhance your podcast…It’s software that runs on Windows, OS X (universal binary), or Linux (Ubuntu) that adjusts the audio levels within your podcast or other audio file for variations from one speaker to the next, for example.”

Apture. “The leading provider of context for readers and publishers. By adding Apture’s simple code to their website, publishers can plug the holes in their content and let readers open related background material, view related photo slideshows, or watch videos from these popular destinations, all in an innovative second layer that keeps users on the page. Best of all, it doesn’t require any editorial effort.”

toggl. “A helpful tool for freelancers charging by the hour who need to keep track of exactly how much time they spent on what task.”

Cacoo. “…is a user friendly online drawing tool that allows you to create a variety of diagrams such as site maps, wire frames, UML and network charts.”

PDFmyURL. “A simple, one-function site that converts any live Web site into a static PDF file–something handy for offline reading, long-term archiving, and sticking on PDF-friendly e-book readers like Amazon’s Kindle. It can also be a lifesaver, if you’re on a computer without PDF-making software that would otherwise enable you to “print” a PDF copy of your own.”

TribalPages. “Build your Free Family Tree website online. Invite friends and family to view or update your site. Each private and secure website is loaded with Photos, Charts, Reports, Maps, Relationships, Events and Stories. Just add names of your relatives or import a GEDCOM file and instantly create your website. Your site can create custom newsletters for each member with birthday and anniversary reminders, recent site activity and send them out every two weeks.”

Celtx. “The world’s first all-in-one media pre-production system. It replaces ‘paper & binder’ pre-production with a digital approach that’s more complete, simpler to work with, and easier to share.”

Pixorial. “… created to liberate the world’s video – to empower people of all ages to share, create and connect with friends and family through video.
With Pixorial, you can easily send, upload, edit, organize and share your video memories.”

50 Free Resources That Will Improve Your Writing Skills. “You will find copywriting blogs, dictionaries, references, teaching classes, articles, tools as well as related articles from other blogs.”

75+ Online Travel Resources. “We’ve rounded up 75+ sites to help you on your way, including travel search, deal sites, travel social networks and user-generated reviews. Bon voyage.”

20+ Free Press Release Distribution Sites. “We’ve gathered 20+ sites that will help you with getting your press release out in the world for free.”

OpenZine. “A publishing platform with web browser based tools that provides an easy way for anyone to make their own magazine, for free…To preserving the design experience of print we’ve created amazingly powerful one click layouts. You can even change them as you go!”

OurStory. “… is here to help you build and enrich your relationships and connections by guiding you (and others in your circle) to recall, write about, and illustrate life’s most important memories. In one easy-to-use, organized place, and in a rich environment that celebrates all of the stories – big and small – with the words, photos and voices that help tell about your journey, at the same time honoring your choices regarding privacy. OurStory delivers—finally—a way to hold on to life’s incredible moments, and to keep them in a place where others can share in your journey.”

Photo by Luke  Stearns

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Posted in Life stories, Personal historian, Resources

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20 Reasons Why You Need to Attend the 2010 APH Conference.

Posted on June 23, 2010 | 6 Comments

In a previous post, 10 Great Reasons to Visit Victoria, BC, I extolled the virtues of my home town as the location for this year’s Association of Personal Historians conference. I know that coming up with the cash to attend a conference can raise questions of getting value for your money. Let me be frank. You’d be hard pressed to find another professional conference that gives you as much “bang for your buck” as the APH conference. I speak from experience. If you’re in the business of being a professional personal historian, you owe it to yourself to attend this conference. If you still need more convincing, here are 20 reasons to head to Victoria this November:

  1. You’ll learn enough new insights, skills, and ideas to keep you fueled until next year’s conference.
  2. You’ll meet friendly, seasoned veterans who’ll be happy to share their knowledge and experience with you.
  3. You’ll have the chance to develop business partnerships with other personal historians.
  4. You’ll make new friendships that will help sustain you in your business over the years.
  5. You’ll enjoy the luxury of putting work aside for a few days.
  6. You’ll be stimulated by dynamic keynote presentations.
  7. You’ll find your “Tribe” and be energized by its members who have the same passion as you do for personal histories.
  8. You’ll be able to share your work and experience in a supportive environment.
  9. You’ll get to taste the delights of “Nanaimo Bars” and “Sidney Slices”. Yummy!
  10. You’ll get to meet APH members  from your region.
  11. You’ll be able to put a  a face to the “stars” who post regularly on the APH listserv.
  12. You’ll become part of a vibrant group and return home feeling less isolated and alone in your work.
  13. You’ll get to ask lots of questions.
  14. You’ll have fun exploring Victoria, one of the world’s top travel destinations.
  15. You’ll get to take in the  “bigger picture” of personal histories.
  16. You’ll have epiphanies.
  17. You’ll get to listen to and talk with experts that you’d not normally have a chance to meet.
  18. You’ll discover new solutions to old problems.
  19. You’ll have a chance to test out and refine your “elevator” speech because attendees will be asking you, “What do you do?”
  20. You’ll get to meet me! Just kidding. ;-) But seriously I’m looking forward to meeting many of you at the conference.

© Sebastian Kaulitzki | Dreamstime.com

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Monday’s Link Roundup.

Posted on June 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

This Monday’s Link Roundup has its usual eclectic mix of items from pH pens to Mark Twain. My two favorites this week are How Your PR Can Seize the Day and 50 Fancy Words. The New York Times compiled a list of the words that stumped their readers most. You’d be surprised at what turned up. Do you know what “cynosure” means? Neither did I. To find out, head over to 50 Fancy Words.

  • pH Testing Pen. “Genealogists are advised to record information destined for long-term storage onto acid-free paper. One question: how can you tell if the paper is acid free?…Luckily, a pH Testing Pen can answer all those questions. Best of all, it only costs $3 to $6 or so.”
  • 50 Fancy Words. “…for our [New York Times] online readers, help is readily available. Double-click any word in an article and a question mark appears; click the question mark and you get a definition from the American Heritage dictionary… my colleague James Robinson, with help from Jeremy Safran, once again compiled a list of the 50 words that most often stumped the world’s most brilliant newspaper readers.”
  • Preserving their voices: S.L. County hospice records patients’ stories. “Since the Memory Catcher program started earlier this year at Silverado, a handful of volunteers have recorded the stories of terminal patients for about 15 families, said volunteer Eileen Allen, who interviewed the Pruitts for their father’s history. It’s a free service offered by Silverado, which houses the hospice center for Alzheimer’s patients.”
  • Group Genealogy Is Fun! 5 Upcoming Conferences. “Where can you combine family history research, learning and socializing into one neat and satisfyingly exhausting package? Genealogy conferences, of course—just ask the people still basking in the afterglow of last weekend’s Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree. Consider attending one of these upcoming events:”
  • How Steve Jobs beats presentation panic. “Steve Jobs had a serious and embarrassing Wi-Fi problem to deal with. It was plain to the thousands in attendance and the tons more people watching online: On Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Jobs was struggling with wireless connectivity while attempting to demonstrate the new features of Apple’s iPhone 4.”
  • How Your PR Can Seize the Day. “The best PR programs often leverage a company’s best assets, its subject matter experts, by seizing and capitalizing on the news of the day. I call this Carpe Diem PR. Absent new company developments, the key for any company is to secure frequent, meaningful media mentions and buzz, by finding natural ways to make the company part of an already existing news cycle or trend.” [Thanks to Catherine McCrum of Heartistic Reflections for alerting me to this item.]
  • Mark Twain’s Tribute to Daughter Sells for $242,500. “The unpublished Family Sketch was a 64-page, handwritten manuscript that Twain wrote around 1896 or 1897 for Olivia “Susy” Clemens, who inspired some of his stories and even wrote her own biography of her father. The document also reminisced about his own childhood and was described as the missing chapter of his autobiography.”

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“If You Write It, They’ll Buy It.” Just Ain’t So!

Posted on June 17, 2010 | 1 Comment

The following guest article is published with the kind permission of Susan Owens of Tales for Telling.

For all but a few famous authors, whether a book is self-published or published by a big name like Random House, “selling” books is in a very real sense up to the author. What sells books is buzz, getting people excited about the topic, the author, or both, marketing, and the author being willing to push the book at every opportunity. Some people are great at this; others think that once their book is printed and on Amazon, they’re done. Sadly, “If you write it, they will buy,” just ain’t so!

Of course it’s important that a book be well-written, well-designed, and attractively presented. But the sad truth is that a lot of good books  have languished on the shelves while a lot of bad books have sold very well. Why?  Because they’ve gotten the right publicity, or because the author is famous.

Distributing books, on the other hand, is a different matter. Self-publishing houses like iUniverse and others do make certain that the book gets on the list to be distributed by places like Ingram (most bookstores order from this source) and that it can be purchased from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com. Some houses arrange for the book to be made available electronically for Kindle or other e-book sources. As important as these logistical steps are, I don’t think it can be said that these houses are “selling” books. What they are doing is facilitating the process so that when the author sells books, people have a way to get them in their hands. That said, here’s an interesting article about self-publishing: The Basics of Self Publishing

Here’s what to do to get a book into the distribution channel so that when the author generates that buzz, the book is out there to be had.

  • Determine who the publisher is. To publish a book for sale, you need an ISBN number, which can be purchased in blocks of ten but only by a publisher. Would you be the publisher? Or would the author?
  • Get ISBN numbers and barcodes.  If you have hardback and paperback, each gets a different ISBN. Click here for more information.
  • Register copyright with Washington, DC. This isn’t required but it’s certainly a good idea. It costs $45.  Don’t do this until the manuscript is pretty final; changes of more than 25% of content, I believe, require a new registration.  For more information click here.
  • Figure out what BISAC code you want to use. These are often printed on the back cover. This helps bookstores to shelve the book (for example, Self-Help, Memoir, etc.) See this website for more information.
  • Find a librarian trained to do publisher’s cataloging-in-publication data. This is the stuff on the copyright page that the Library of Congress does for traditionally published books but will not do for self-published books. However, I think it adds a level of professionalism to a book and also helps librarians to add it to their databases. This means libraries are more likely to buy the book if it’s marketed to them. Your local library may be able to recommend someone with this expertise.
  • Register book with the Library of Congress. You also have to send them copies when the book is printed. Click here for more  information.
  • Try to get the book into the Ingram catalog. Check this website for more information.
  • Get the book on the Books in Print list. Here’s a link with more information.
  • Get it listed on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Also have the book included in the “look inside” feature. For information on selling a book on Amazon click here.  And for info from Barnes & Noble click here.
  • Make an e-book version available (for Kindle users, at least). I know one author I worked with had requests for this almost immediately when he started to give talks and push his book. And fortunately, the publisher we had used was able to comply pronto.

After all of this the work begins. Actually before that, because the author should begin to generate publicity about the book months before it’s released. This should include a web page, perhaps a Facebook page or blog, etc. Once the book is out, there should be press releases, speaking engagements, radio/TV appearances, and so on.

I hope this helps.

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Posted in Distribution, How to, Marketing, Personal historian, Publishing, Tips

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What Would You Like? I’m All Ears!

Posted on June 16, 2010 | 5 Comments

July will mark an anniversary for me. It will be two years since I started this blog. It’s time for some reflection and looking ahead. As part of that process I posted a poll in April asking readers how many years they had been personal historians. I wanted to get a better sense of who was reading my blog so that I might serve you better. Thanks to all of you who took the time to participate. Here are the results:

How many years have you been a personal historian?

49% – 1 to 4 years

30% – 10 years or more

21 % – 5 to 9 years

I wasn’t surprised by the fact that almost half of you are relatively new to personal history work. What did somewhat surprise me were the number of  experienced personal historians with over 10 years experience.

For the most part I feel that my blog content serves newcomers to the field quite adequately. Am I right?  But I wonder about those of you  who are  experienced personal historians.  What could I do to better support you? So I have some questions  that if you could find the time to answer, would help guide me in the year ahead.

  • What would make this blog a “must read” destination for you?
  • What would you like to see more of?
  • Do you have a  favorite post topic? [ Monday's Link Roundup, Rants, Free Resources, How to's,  etc.]
  • What would you like to see less of?
  • Are the articles about the right length or are you looking for more?

I hope to hear from you and with your help make this a better blog!

Photo by hans van rijnberk

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Monday’s Link Roundup.

Posted on June 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

Welcome to Monday’s Link Roundup! Put down what you’re doing and spend some enjoyable time wandering through some of my week’s picks. One of my favorites is Hanging up on the phone book. There’s some fascinating history in this story. And if you’re like me, considering the leap to a personal web host, you won’t want to pass up Best Personal Web Host: DreamHost.

  • Hanging up on the phone book. “Yellow Pages will no longer deliver residential directories in Canada’s seven largest cities unless asked to…Jody Georgeson is melancholy about their disappearance. As executive director of The Telecommunications History Group, a non-profit organization that runs museums in Denver and Seattle, she has seen the impact the phone book can have: Her organization has helped people who lived downwind from nuclear test sites in the fifties and sixties prove their residency and receive compensation from the U.S. government.”
  • Pin Your History to the World. “Historypin is a web site with a simple plan: post old photographs from locations all over the world, and then compare them to today’s images of the same location. The result is a digital time machine that allows you to view and share your personal history in a totally new way.”
  • Why You Should Never Charge Hourly. “One of the biggest and oldest debates between freelancers is whether you should charge hourly or by the project. While both sides of the debate have valid points, if you want to really go anywhere in your freelance career, you should avoid charging hourly.”
  • Nova Scotia Vital Records Spanning Nearly 200 Years Now Available. “Ancestry.ca, Canada’s leading family history website¹, in partnership with the Nova Scotia Archives, today launched on Ancestry.ca the Nova Scotia Birth Marriage and Death Indexes, 1763-1957², which contain indexes for more than one million Nova Scotia birth, marriage and death (BMD) records.”
  • Best Personal Web Host: DreamHost. “Last week we asked you to share your favorite personal web host, then we rounded up the five most popular nominations for you to vote on. Now we’re back with the results and a discount code for DreamHost!”

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You Can Do It! Get Referral Partners Today.

Posted on June 10, 2010 | 1 Comment

In a previous post, Lousy at Getting Referrals? Here’s some help, I provided several tips that could increase your referrals. A personal historian colleague asked me to expand on my suggestion,  Develop a large network of referral partners. She asked, “I know that we can benefit one another, but how do they know? How do I persuade them to give me their time for free? And what does it mean to follow up with my network every three months or so?”

Here then is an elaboration on my earlier post on referral partners that I hope addresses my colleague’s questions.

  • This is a long term process. You’re involved in developing mutually supportive business relationships. It will take time, trust, and patience and  not all your efforts will bear fruit. If you’re looking for a quick fix, this isn’t the route to go.
  • Create  your “ideal client” referral document. It’s helpful to compose a sketch of your perfect client and the follow-up approach you’ll use with each referred client. For example, will you contact your referral by telephone, letter, or e-mail? How will you introduce yourself? How will you describe your referral partner’s role? Will you send promotional materials or wait until you have a positive response? Will you meet with referrals in their home or in some neutral location like a coffee shop? This document will clarify who you’re looking for and it will provide  your referral partners with a good overview of your referral strategy.  Don’t forget to add a few testimonials to your paper.
  • Identify a referral partner. Start by choosing a business that likely serves similar clients as personal historians. Make it easy for yourself by identifying a professional you  already use and like. Perhaps you know a financial adviser, accountant, or chiropractor that would be willing to be a referral partner. Once you’ve established this professional as a willing partner, you can ask for names of others he or she would let you contact.
  • Try the ” reverse introduction”. Over at the Duct Tape Marketing Blog, John Jantsch has a clever approach to starting a referral partnership. He calls it the Perfect Introduction in Reverse. You can watch John explain it in a short video here.  Basically the idea is to start by contacting a potential partner, explaining that you have clients that could benefit from her service or product.  It’s easier to start be offering something of value. For example, I’ve been in touch with a company that provides a complete package of services to assist seniors with moving.  It’s still early but with time the potential for referrals is there. Listen to John Jantsch here for a full explanation of the reversed introduction.
  • Build a trusting relationship. Keeping referral partners is a matter of building professional trust. You want to be certain that clients you send to your partner are going to have a positive experience. Similar concerns exist for your partner.There are several ways you can go about developing trust. For instance:
  • Offer a free seminar for your partner’s clients. Invite your referral partner to do the same for you.
  • Write an article for your partner’s newsletter or website and ask for your partner to write something for your clients.
  • Keep in touch. It’s important to nurture and care for the professional relationship you develop with your referral partners. Here are some things you can do:
  • send a card or gift for every referral you receive.
  • participate in their charity events.
  • make regular phone calls.
  • send an article that’s relevant to their work.

In a nutshell then, getting referral partners  is not about asking people to give you something for free. It’s about a mutually supportive relationship where each partner wins. And to make certain that the partnership is maintained, you have to find ways to keep in touch.

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Eight Lessons My Mom Taught Me About Marketing.

Posted on June 9, 2010 | 13 Comments

Mom at 23 in 1941

My mom is ninety-two and a wise woman. She never had much schooling but she earned her doctorate at the university of life. She has a homespun wisdom that on reflection has taught me some vital marketing lessons. Here they are:

  1. Never leave home without being carefully groomed. My mom always leaves her home neatly dressed and with her hair carefully coiffed. When I’m out in my community, I occasionally encounter former clients or workshop participants. Sometimes I find myself talking to a stranger about my work. I’m aware that I’m a walking billboard for personal history.  This means I need to look appropriately professional. No need for a suit and tie. But slouching around in sweat pants and ratty sneakers won’t do when you’re in the public eye.
  2. Don’t forget to say thank you. It’s a small word that goes a long way to creating a good impression. My mom never fails to says thank you for a kindness shown her. She always sends a thank you card after receiving a gift. Make it a point in your marketing to thank clients. I send a note thanking a potential client even if we don’t end up working together. I also send birthday and holiday cards to former clients. It’s a special touch that people appreciate and remember.
  3. Don’t waste time on ungrateful people. Mom is sweet but she’s also strong. If people don’t show some reciprocal kindness or interest, she drops them. There’s a good marketing lesson here. There’s no point trying to promote your personal history services to people who aren’t interested or don’t care. It’s better to concentrate your energy where you’re likely to get the best response.
  4. Answer letters immediately. Mom  is a dying breed of letter writers. She still pens several letters a week to friends and family. And what’s crucial is that she never lets a week pass before she answers a letter. People appreciate her promptness. In marketing our services it’s vital to  respond to queries in a timely manner. It creates an aura of efficiency, eagerness, and professionalism.
  5. Be meticulous. Mom never let a speck of dust settle on her furniture. Her home was always immaculate. Even today she prides herself in doing the very best she can even though she is quite frail. The marketing lesson is that all your print, audio-video, and website materials must be carefully designed and first class.
  6. Monday is laundry day. Mom never multitasked. Each day of the week was set aside for specific chores whether it was laundry, baking, cleaning, or gardening. It’s easy to become hit-and-miss with our marketing.  Make sure you schedule marketing time each week and stick to it. Better yet, why not make Monday your marketing day?
  7. Be frugal and avoid debt. Mom was a child of the Great Depression. She never spent money she didn’t have and always looked for bargains and sales. She’s passed that fiscal conservatism on to me. I look for the most cost efficient ways to market my services. For example, this website/blog cost me all of twenty bucks a year. I avoid “gadgets” and constant upgrading and use my equipment and software as long as it still does the job.
  8. Don’t put on airs. Mom can’t abide pretentiousness or arrogance. There’s a good marketing lesson here. Avoid overselling or hyping your services. People can smell phoniness a mile off.

Thanks, Mom. You’ve taught me well.

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