Business owners and professionals often receive requests from their colleagues and fellow networkers to trade services rather than exchange money and pay for services.  Trading is a common practice that takes place when two (or more) parties mutually agree that they would like to receive each other’s services without exchanging money. But is this practice good for business?

There are mixed reviews about the practice of trading, but experience tells us it isn’t always the best practice for growing your business and here is why.

First, it is my opinion that trades are rarely equal between parties.  Most often, one party feels short-changed and that they didn’t receive enough value, or feels what they gave was worth more.  This doesn’t promote the positive outcome that was anticipated and can, in fact, lead to feelings of resentment, causing unanticipated friction in the relationship.

Second, trading blocks the money energy flow from person to person.  In essence, money is energy and the act of trading, without having money exchanged, blocks this energy flow.  Money, when in circulation, is very powerful and the mere act of giving and receiving money can attract even more money into your life and business. Additionally, if both parties feel the trade is equal, then why not exchange money and everyone wins? If one party’s product or service costs more than the other, perhaps it wasn’t an equal exchange to begin with.

Third, trading can diminish the quality and level of service or value one receives.  We’ve all heard “you get what you pay for” meaning, if you didn’t pay a lot or received something for free, you probably won’t get a lot out of it.  When you engage in trading, you actually block the receiving party from gaining the full experience of what you offer. Keep in mind that individuals inherently value what they pay for more than what they receive for free.

Now, despite these points, if you feel you have a great and equal trade before you, before proceeding, be sure each party equally wants what the other has to offer. If the there is a cost disparity, perhaps one party pays the difference to be sure all is equal. But trade in moderation. Focus on paying for the services you need, know that the money energy will come as you participate in the flow, and be on the lookout for your next paying client.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) estimates that in one year, Americans suffer one billion colds. And while the common cold may last a day or two, it can also linger for two weeks, interrupting your every day routine. Fortunately, government organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer useful information for avoiding and treating colds and all their bothersome symptoms.

The CDC notes that over 200 viruses can be responsible for a cold, and the NLM points out that cold virus germs are spread by physical contact, as well as inhalation. Therefore, good hygiene is key to prevention; wash your hands frequently, and avoid close contact with those suffering from colds or other upper respiratory infections. Visit www.cdc.gov/features/handwashing/ for proper hand washing techniques, proper use of hand sanitizers and links to lots of related information.

If congestion, a sore throat and body aches are interrupting your daily life, you should pay your doctor a visit. Don’t be surprised, however, if you leave without a prescription; the CDC explains that because the common cold is caused by a virus, antibiotics are ineffective and can actually be harmful if taken when not needed. Doctors can prescribe medications to alleviate the symptoms of a cold, so talk to your provider about options for coughing, congestion or headache relief.

There are many home remedies for combating cold symptoms. The NIH and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recommend getting plenty of rest, gargling with warm salt water, using throat anesthetic sprays and drinking lots of fluids.

The common cold tends to go away on its own, but the CDC advises the attention of a healthcare provider if you have a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or your symptoms have lasted for more than 10 days.

Volunteer work can offer memorable experiences for the whole family.

No matter where you live, you’re likely surrounded by several volunteer opportunities. In almost every city across the United States, there are organizations – in every field from environmental to health care to animal rescue – that rely upon the time and energy of others to promote well-being throughout their communities. Kids can especially benefit from volunteering, learning how to use their strengths to help others and make a difference.

Take advantage of websites that can easily connect you with volunteer opportunities in your area. Volunteer.gov, for example, is a database run by the Federal Interagency Team on Volunteerism that lets you search by keyword, state, city or agency.  Another useful tool is VolunteerMatch.com where you can also search by location and keyword. The website provides information about getting students, employees and business customers to lend a helping hand.

Many volunteers find that their work is especially meaningful when they team up with an organization or cause close to their heart. Even young kids have specific interests and skills that they can use to help others. If they love animals, check out ASPCA.org, which has lots of information about helping local shelters in your community. Many shelters need volunteers to help walk dogs or participate in fundraising events. Older teens who enjoy working with little ones may find that tutoring is a personally rewarding experience that can also jumpstart a great career in education.

Kelly Palmatier, founder of the international nonprofit organization Compassionate Kids, stresses the importance of working side-by-side with your child. “Children who see their parents volunteering are much more likely to believe in the value of working to help others.” She also notes that volunteering as a family is a bonding experience, and it will let you help your child take on more complicated responsibilities that you can work on together. When choosing the right opportunity, Palmatier recommends taking the following elements into consideration: Location, frequency and duration of the work, staff attitude and your child’s interests. Find more tips at www.compassionatekids.com.

Volunteering helps kids learn responsibility and kindness, and often allows them to explore future career or hobby interests as well. Working side-by-side also instills a sense of teamwork and sets a great example for children of all ages.

Lend a helping hand at a food pantry during school vacation weeks, or spend every other Saturday at your favorite animal shelter; however you choose to take action, it won’t go unappreciated.

Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings friends and family together to share a good meal, conversation and laughter. But Thanksgiving also comes with several health hazards, including an increased chance of fires, food poisoning and choking. Take a few minutes to review these Thanksgiving Day safety tips, and enjoy the holiday without worry.

1.                            Fire

The U.S. Fire Administration reports that, on Thanksgiving Day, more than 4,000 fires occur. The average number of cooking fires doubles on the holiday. In addition to installing a fire detector in the kitchen, there are several easy ways to avoid fires:

Don’t leave the kitchen while frying and grilling. Use a timer and do kitchen checks when simmering, baking, broiling and roasting. If deep frying a turkey, keep the fryer outside, away from walls, fences and other structures. Also, keep the fryer away from moisture to avoid burns from steam and spattering oil.

Keep pot holders and food wrappers 3 feet away from the stove or other hot surfaces. Kids should stay 3 feet away too. Make sure the handles of pots and pans are facing inward. Avoid loose clothes, especially those with long sleeves, while cooking. And make sure all candles and smoking materials are put out after the guests leave.

2.                         Turkey

Eating undercooked turkey is another Thanksgiving health problem. If a turkey is thawed at a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, salmonella or other bacteria that cause food poisoning can grow.

Safely cooking a turkey starts with correct defrosting. There are three methods for safe defrosting. The turkey can be thawed in the refrigerator—one day for every 5 lbs. of the bird. The turkey can be submerged in water if it is in leak-proof packaging—30 minutes for every pound. The water should be changed every half hour. It’s also safe to defrost a turkey in a microwave. Remove any packaging and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

With all three methods it’s important to cook the turkey immediately after thawing. Don’t slow cook or partially cook the turkey, and check the temperature with a meat thermometer to determine if it’s done. Even if the turkey came with a pop-up thermometer, it’s necessary to check the innermost part of the thigh and wing, and the thickest part of the breast. The turkey needs to be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (and the stuffing, too).

Let the turkey rest before carving. This gives the juices time to set.

3.                          Choking

The most common cause of choking is talking while eating. If a person is unable to cough, breathe or speak, the first thing to do is call 911. Next, the Red Cross recommends a technique called FIVE-and-FIVE for choking victims.

The first step is giving the choking victim five sharp blows on the back, using the heel of the hand. If the obstruction is not dislodged by this move, the next step is to give the victim five quick, upward abdominal thrusts.

Some people run from the table when they start choking. It’s important to stay with other people so they can give assistance. If the victim is alone, he can give himself the five abdominal thrusts using his hand or by pressing his abdomen firmly against the back of a chair.

4.                          Leftovers

Eating Thanksgiving leftovers that have been improperly stored can also lead to food poisoning. Leftovers need to be put away within two hours after serving the food. (This includes pumpkin pie.) They go in the refrigerator if they are going to be eaten within three days otherwise they go in the freezer. Food should be stored in shallow containers. Meat should be removed from the bone before being put away.

Reheated leftovers should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Gravy should be brought to a vigorous boil.

5.                          Pets

Thanksgiving brings health hazards to dogs and other pets as well as humans. Don’t give turkey bones to pets.Turkeybones and other bird bones are hollow, which makes them likely to splinter. This can cause tears in an animal’s esophagus, stomach or intestines.

Fatty holiday foods, like turkey skin and gravy, can contribute to pancreatitis. More pets are brought to vets for pancreatitis after their owners have had a party or holiday dinner.

Be careful about leaving chocolate candies out (or kids dropping candy on the floor). Chocolate can cause illness and even death when dogs ingest it. In addition, dogs shouldn’t be fed grapes, raisins, onions, alcohol or anything with caffeine. It’s also important to keep the string used to tie the turkey and other food wrappings out of reach of pets.

Dogs also tend to be excited when there are lots of people in the house. When dogs are excited they often eat too quickly, and this can lead to bloating, a very dangerous condition. Feed your dogs before the guests arrive and don’t let them be too active before or after eating.

In the business and marketing world, experts agree that people do business with individuals they know, like and trust. Building rapport with others helps to establish the know-like-trust factor, thereby increasing your potential to do business with those you meet while networking.  Rapport is a critical to growing your business, building trust, and improving your relationship with others. High levels of rapport allow potential clients to move through your sales cycle faster, converts clients to utilize your services longer, and helps them to easily and quickly begin referring business to you.

So, what is rapport? Rapport can be defined in a variety of ways however each has its place in the daily work of a professional.

An online search defines rapport as:

* A relationship of mutual understanding or trust and agreement between people

* Commonality of perspective: being in “sync” with, or “being on the same wavelength” as the person you are talking with.

* A feeling of comfort or connectedness between people

* The presence of harmony, trust, and cooperation in relationship

By the definitions alone you can gather the importance rapport has on not only attracting new clients and business partners, but actually retaining them for long-term profitable relationships.

Building rapport is a learned skill and understanding some basic yet key points about how you interact with others can significantly improve the rapport you have with them. Rapport can be gained by finding commonality, offering compliments when appropriate, acknowledging others, heart-based listening and effectively communicating.  Even words, body language and tone all contribute to increasing or decreasing your rapport with others.

While entrepreneurs and professionals may realize the importance of rapport, many often forget to establish rapport first or struggle with understanding how to effectively and quickly build rapport to connect with new contacts. While establishing rapport with others is often subconscious and intuitive, the ability to build rapport is a skill that can be developed with training, tweaking, practice and awareness.

With the aid of the Internet, it’s easier than ever to reach a larger audience and attract people. Whether you are a Fortune 500 company or a small business start up, social media is an integral part of most successful marketing plans and can have a remarkable impact to your bottom line. Facebook can become a playground where we squander precious time, a commodity of which we don’t have much. If you keep these 5 factors in mind, you can leverage your Facebook time for greater impact.

VALUABLE CONTENT – Post useful information in your area of expertise, establishing yourself as a subject matter expert. This can include helpful tips, a link to an article, blog post, or newsletter that your audience would find interesting and appreciate knowing about. This touches on what is known as content marketing… attracting connections and establishing credibility by providing information of value.

JOIN GROUPS & FAN PAGES - Search for and join Facebook groups and fan pages that interest you and complement your business. For example, a realtor might join real estate investing or home improvement Groups. Review profiles of group/fan page members and extend friend requests to those you would want to meet if you were at a live networking event. Take it a step further and don’t just “like” a fan page, show you love it by posting comments and sharing links on the wall (if allowed). You might also consider starting your own Group or Fan Page. Whether your own or someone else’s, make the best use of groups and fan pages by getting involved and sharing valuable content.

BE AUTHENTIC – People want to know who you really are so let them in on the personal side of you. Share your goals, passions, hobbies, weekend adventures and what you enjoy doing in your spare time. Keep in mind that people buy from people, and sharing a bit of your personal side deepens connections as people get to know the person behind the business.

LIMIT YOUR TIME – Limit your time to 30 minutes per day. Some don’t feel they can even afford to give up 30 minutes to spend online. Frankly, you can’t afford not to. When you think about your Facebook time as marketing, networking and building relationships, you will want to spend more time online. Break your 30 minutes into two 15 minutes sessions if you feel it would help you. Logout of Facebook when you are done to limit distractions or notification alerts. Lastly, change your Facebook email settings so that notifications, messages and invitations are not coming to your email Inbox.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS – One of the greatest benefits to Facebook is the ability to form relationships with online connections. Like and share people’s posts that your audience would find interesting. Support your connections by “liking” their posts, leaving a comment under their post, or actually endorse their post by “sharing” it with your friends. If you identify a potential power partner, send them a message to start a dialogue. Let them know why you are interested in their background. For example, a realtor might be interested in connections that work for home cleaning service, plumbing, flooring, and mortgage companies. Invite them to meet in person to see if you can form a working relationship or referral partnership.

It’s never too late to get online. With more than 500 million users, Facebook cannot be ignored. If you are strategic and intentional about your time online, Facebook could become one of your favorite networking and marketing tools.

There has been a lot written about kids Halloween party games. Children between the ages of four to ten can be a handful especially when they are excited. So, you need to capture their energy and everyone will have more fun

Pumpkin Bowling – this is a game where you fill ten looking good bottles with stones or gravel, you can draw silly faces on them and then use a small pumpkin as the bowling ball. The child who knocks the most over wins.

Musical Headstones – use strong cardboard boxex for this one or nice plastic containers. You can decorate them with spray paint or cover them with sheets – say sevenish chairs – 8 kids, fancy Halloween music and march em around the chairs and when the music stops they all must sit down on a gravestone. The one who cannot find one is out – repeat removing a chair each time.

Ghost Hunt – or pumpkin hunt – This is like the easter egg hunt except use pumpkins or ghosts with treats. It will get the kids up and moving.

Mummy Wrap – draw straws to see who is going to be the mummy or mummies. Then have a group of kids wrap em in toilet paper – messy but what fun. Divide the kids into teams. The first team done with the best wrapped mummy wins.

Cupcake Decorating Contest. – provide the room, the cupcakes, the supplies to decorate em with and let the imaginations run wild. Then the adults get to decide who wins.

Pass the Pumpkin – pumpkins come in all sizes – or use a small gourd, ties the hands behind the back, divide the group into teams and start passing the pumpkin down each line from under the first childs chin. This ought to be fun.

Halloween parties are fun—but do you really need to buy decorations that you’ll only use one night a year? Here are some incredibly easy (and incredibly cheap!) ways to create a memorable party, and an unforgettable house. Everything here can be found at a hardware store or dollar store, and some are right in your pantry. Here, go and try it out. We guarantee that your house will be spooktacular!

Cheap Halloween party idea # 1: Make your own fog machine

All you need is dry ice, warm water and a slow cooker. The slow cooker is essential, since it’ll keep the water warm for the duration of your party. (Otherwise, the dry ice will just freeze everything around it—bye bye fog!)
Here’s what you need to do. Fill your slow cooker to half-way point and then place it on its high setting. Then, get the dry ice. (Very important: wear gloves when you handle dry ice, or you’ll get burned. ) Break it into small chunks with a hammer.

Drop the dry ice in small batches into the slow-cooker. The fog will slowly build up. Don’t expect it to rise too high, though. We suggest placing the slow-cooker in a small cauldron or pumpkin, and then resting that on a side table.

Don’t have a slow cooker? Well, buy one! It’s pretty cheap and unlike most Halloween décor you can actually use it everyday.

Cheap Halloween party idea # 2:Tombstonetable settings

All you need is white or gray paper, cut into (you guessed it) tombstone shapes. It’s morbid fun, but if your guests aren’t too stuck up they’ll laugh along with you. Why not write a funny rhyme to make it even more lighthearted? Or, if you’re afraid of offending people, use the tombstone pattern for invitations or listing the party menu.

Cheap Halloween party idea # 3: Halloween tree

Dust off your small artificial Christmas trees (or get one from the store—you’ll be using it again in a few months, so it’s a smart buy). Then, decorate it with orange Christmas lights and Christmas balls spray painted in a glittery black or dark gold. Hang fake cobwebs, paper cut-outs of pumpkins and black cats, white tissue paper ghosts. Or, make or hang edible Halloween decorations like iced cookies or chocolate lollipops.
Smaller trees make fantastic table centerpieces; medium-sized ones can be placed by the doorway or a table in the foyer.

Cheap Halloween party idea # 4: chalk window décor

Use window chalk or black chalk paint to draw ghosts, scary messages (“Boo!” or “Beware!”).

Cheap Halloween party idea # 5: pumpkin patch

Pick pumpkins of different sizes and group them in a room or on your porch or garden. This is a great place for your homemade fog machine, add wild ivy and black roses (you can make these with black tissue paper). You can also add candles in hurricane containers (to prevent fires) and cauldrons filled with candy.

Cheap Halloween party idea # 6: make fake blood

Fill a large fish bowl with fake blood for a game of bobbing for apples. (Tip: do this in the kitchen or outdoors—it can get messy.) All you need is a cup of corn syrup, half a cup of water, and 4 drops of food coloring. Add cornstarch if you want it to be thicker.

Cheap Halloween party idea # 7: make your own slime

Kids love this! Make them dunk their hands into a pail of slime to get a prize. Just mix lotion, water, and a few drops of lime gelatin. Gelatin makes it looks transparent, but if you add cornstarch it gets opaque. You can also get a darker shade of green by adding food coloring Really depends on how you want it to look.

Cheap Halloween party idea # 8: Create a creepy room

Hang black table cloths on the windows to darken up the room and create a “haunted house” vibe. Cover lights with green cellophane to cast an eerie glow. Or, buy colored bulbs or bulbs of lower wattage. Play scary music. Distribute flashlights to guests (or tell them to bring their own to the party) and let the haunting begin!

Cheap Halloween party idea # 9: Ghoul Welcome

Hang 3m temporary hooks and fishing line on your ceiling. Attach a ghoul (its head should be drooping, so it looks like it’s watching the guests). It’s best if you position this in a corridor or doorway so everyone has to pass through it. It seems silly but guests get a kick out of this. For even more laughs, attach a fifth hook in a hidden corner with a fishing line that’s attached to its head. Occasionally pull the fishing line so the head moves. If you really want to go all out, have a tape recording of a ghoulish laugh ready—then hit the play button.

Cheap Halloween party idea # 10: Spiders and cobwebs

String white and green cobwebs all over your house, then cluster lots of plastic spiders. Position it under a black lightbulb (you can get this at the hardware store) for an extra spooky effect.

Yes, you are #1 in your “personal” world. You must take care of yourself before you can effectively take care of anyone else. But who is #1 in your professional world? Your customer!  Taking care of our customers is crucial if we expect any chance of sustaining a successful business.  You’ve heard it said before… it’s easier to retain an existing customer than it is to gain a new one.  So what does it look like to take of #1, the customer? The picture may vary by business, yet in all cases, it doesn’t stop at simply making sure your customer is happy with their purchase. Here are 5 things you can do to go beyond to take care of your customers.

Give them more for their money. Customers have a bottom line expectation when they make a purchase. Consider how much you would blow their socks off if you delivered more than what they paid for.  This doesn’t mean giving them free product but rather giving them more value for their money. I enjoy telling the story of my experience at a gas station not too long ago. I pulled up to the pump in a snow storm. I swiped my credit card and as I reached for the pump, the gas station attendant rushed to my car to handle the pump before I could dirty my hands.  He told me to get in the warmth of my car. He proceeded to wash down my windows, replaced the gas pump and asked me if I wanted my receipt. I received “full service” and the convenience and warmth of sitting in my car. Now that’s added value.

Take time to get to know them personally. The default of many is to keep an arm’s length distance from their customers. The reality however is that our customers want to have a more personal relationship with us. Don’t shy away from personal conversations but instead, find out what your customer enjoys doing in their personal time. Send articles and web links they might find interesting based on what you learn about them. Send them a coupon or gift card to their favorite restaurant or entertainment venue. When you send a card, choose one that depicts their hobby. All this shows that you have listened, have taken the time to get to know them and have thought about them as more than just a source of revenue.

Connect them to others. Has your customer expressed a pain, need or frustration? Whether it is related to your business relationship or area of expertise doesn’t matter. Who or what service do you know about that can provide assistance. For example, your customer is moving residences and has expressed frustration with finding a moving company they can trust. Do you know someone who just moved or do you know a realtor you can call to get a recommendation on a moving company? Make a few calls and connect them with someone who can ease their pain.

Deliver on promises and commitments. When you say you will call, call. When you give a deadline, meet it. If you foresee missing a commitment, pick up the phone and give your customer a heads up. Don’t hide behind email. If you’ve missed a deadline and neglected to inform them in advance, don’t over-explain, get defensive, blame or provide excuses. The missed deadline will have less of a negative impact and your customer will actually appreciate your honesty and candor in taking the blame if it’s your burden to take.

Let them know how important they are to you. This can be as simple as making sure your customer knows you value their business, because without them, you wouldn’t be in business. If you haven’t been in touch in a while, reach out to them and express your intention to be in touch more often and to be of better service to them. Send them a confession letter of sorts. Then keep in touch by phone, email, letter or card on a regular basis. This one small action goes a long way. 

Everyone wants to feel special.  Select one of the previous points and incorporate it into your business process so that it becomes a second-nature activity.  In doing so, you will set yourself apart by taking better care of #1, your customer.