ASK CHERI S HILL

I have to thank one of my bestfriends, Leslie for this fabulous statement.  So simple and so true.  The more I learn about effective communication the more profound it becomes.  I find myself impatient with people who cannot get to the point or worse, don’t have one.  This is not to say that I don’t enjoy conversation or the development of a topic as the conversation evolves.  

Effective communication is a skill that everyone should spend time developing and the best way to do it, in my opinion, is by joining Toastmasters.  It’s not everyday that someone will stand up in front of an audience and give a speech.  Yet, every single day you will talk to someone - spouse, business associate, kid, vendor, friend, potential customer, exisiting client, or a complete stranger.  

The question to ask is, “How did you feel after your last interaction with another person?”  Did you feel more positive or more negative? Every single interaction no matter how brief affects everything in your life: your relationships, productivity, health, and longevity.   So if that is truly the case, then maybe you need to think about how you really come across to other people.  Are you getting the results you want?  If not, remember this: “The Quality of My Communication is the Quality of the Response I Get”.

That means its totally up to you to be clear and precise.  Is it easy?  No.  Can it get easier?. Absolutely. And that means working on it today, tomorrow, always.  Everyone is different.  How we learn, listen, share and speak.  If you’re struggling, and have the desire to do something about it, Just know the tools are there to help you.

Stand at my desk, want to sell me something, or explain a process, then my expectation is that you will Be Brief. Be Brilliant. Be Gone!   

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Participating in Trade Shows, Expos, Festivals, Seminars, Exhibitions, Conventions, Conferences, Fairs and Swap Meets is one of the best ways to expose your business. I call it a “golden” marketing opportunity. Any event that allows you to have the opportunity to display and showcase your products and services face-to-face with potential new customers in your target market gives you numerous benefits and advantages. This year, more than 13,000 trade shows in the United States will be attended by more than 59 million people.

Being involved with these types of events has always been a part of my working history.  I spent seven years on the road. First doing tradeshows for a major French pharmaceutical company along the Eastern Seaboard and then representing my own chocolate manufacturing business at hundreds of events up and down the West Coast.  Tired? Absolutely! However, I am not suggesting that you need to do hundreds of events but at least two a year which is what I continue to do.  Why?

Because within a few short days, your company can gather leads, build your brand image, interact with new and current customers, launch new products or feature existing services. Unlike many other marketing media, tradeshows allow you to control your environment and the image of your company, so you can make a big impression on current and prospective buyers.

The costs of exhibiting at a trade show can be a stretch for a small firm, of course, yet doing so could prove to be a solid investment for growth. The high energy and good vibes generated on the exhibit floor contributes to your motivation and success, plus they’re lots of fun!  Join me to learn how to maximize this fantastic marketing technique and to make sure that all of your investment in an event actually pays off.

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BizFlash - Tips to Tradeshow Success

May 7, 2009

7:30 am - 9 am

Sparks Holiday Inn, 55 E Nugget Ave - First Floor

Cost: Free

Register online through the Sparks Chamber of Commerce (sparkschamber.org) or NSBDC (http://www.nsbdc.org/education/calendar/).

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See you there!

I read this great article by Jay Goltz the other day and right at the beginning was this profound statement about the three stages every business goes through: Start up, throw up and grow up.  I agree with Jay that with the current economy it’s as bad as I’ve ever seen it and because I talk to so many business owners around the country every day, it appears that many of us right now are experiencing stage two: THROW UP! 

Stress levels are high, cash flow is low and the anticipation of what may collapse (besides ourselves) each day has certainly played a key role in the direction of this country.  I don’t know about you but I am working harder than I have worked in a very long time. 

The one saving grace about Sage International, Inc.  is that we happen to offer products and services that tie beautifully into the current economic crunch because as more people lose their jobs, the more they start to think about starting their own business.  And the fact, that we form corporations and LLCs in all 50 states allows us to reach out and help so many people from all over the nation who get to enjoy the start up stage!

The other day I wrote in giant black letters across my entire whiteboard the word BREATHE.   Breathe in deep and slow from your belly, not your chest and hold it, then slowly let it out.  It works beautifully to calm the nerves, regain focus and control and to just stop for a moment and allow yourself the pleasure of sitting still for one moment.

If that doesn’t work…just grab the pepto bismol!

Here in the State of Nevada we have a long history of some pretty amazing women - pioneers who were forced to settle in parts of Nevada that honestly, I find it shocking that rocks survive.  I mean in the middle of nowhere with absolutely nothing but vast space, heavy winds and lots of snow in the winter.  Yet, they survived it all and many managed to get an education and raise children.  You have to admire their tenacity, shear will and strength to endure such conditions.  (If you ever have the opportunity to visit the ghost town of Bodie, CA - go and you will see exactly what I’m talking about.)

Has much changed today?  Maybe the walls in our house are thicker and we don’t have to bring our groceries home on a donkey, but I still feel like one of those pioneering women.  Any woman who owns her own business knows exactly what I’m talking about.  The ups, the downs, the joys, the tears, the fun, the struggles.  I consider myself one of today’s pioneering women, blazing a unique trail of financial education designed to enlighten so many.  I hope one day in the future, successive generations of women will look back at what so many of us (fabulous women from all around the world) have accomplished both personally and professionally, and in turn admire us for our courage, strength and tenacity to move this planet forward into better conditions.  We all leave an imprint and I strongly believe it has to be even that much better for those who will follow in our tracks.  Celebrate Women’s History Month by celebrating all of the wonderful women in your life!

Peace & Blessings to all of our family, friends, business associates, and clients.  All of us at Sage International, Inc. look foward to your continued success in 2009!

Happy Holidays!

I was very fortunate this year to have been invited to speak at the Ralston Massage Center located in Reno, NV.  All of the attendees were licensed massage therapists.  As my parting gift, several of them gave me gift certificates for a free one hour massage.  I have spent the last four months taking advantage of their services.  What was fun is that each one specialized in a different form of massage.  From Aromatherapy, Deep Tissue, Relaxation, and Sports massage.  They worked out EVERY single muscle and sore spot and for the first time in a long time, I had no pain.

I can honestly say that I have never felt more relaxed.  Years ago part of my monthly routine was to get a massage.  I had forgotten how that consistency totally helps you stay focused and relaxed.  I would encourage everyone as they run through the Holidays, to treat yourself to a total rejuvination of your mind and body. 

Look for licensed massage therapists because they have gone through training and they understand the connections between your bones, muscles and tissues and how to manipulate appropriately.  No one wants to walk away from a massage in pain. 

I can’t think of a better hour spent and will definately make a monthly massage part of the New Year!  Let’s face it, I got totally spoiled!

I am currently taking a class developed by a friend of mine, Linda McLean, which in my opinion is the missing piece after The Secret.  I did watch it again last week and was reminded about the importance of knowing what you want and how you have the power in your own mind to manifest it.  Which leads me to the vision board.  I have spent the last four weeks defining all of my goals for 2009.  Financial, Personal, Health, Community, Recreation, Spiritual, Social, and Business.  I realized in some areas I am doing great and don’t really have any specific goals.  I just need to keep doing what I’m doing.  Certainly there were a couple of areas that will require more of my attention.  By focusing on those, I was able to boil it down into six specific goals I want to accomplish in 2009.  I found the process a lot of fun and it forced me to think about my life - where I am - where I want to be.

By creating a vision board it allows me to visually see the results that I desire.  It has been fun cutting out pictures, creative words, pretty much anything that resonates with my goals was attached to my board.  I now have a picture that I can look at everyday that will keep me emotionally attached to my goals.  This will also serve as a reminder to direct all of my attention, resources, time and energy to accomplishing those six and those six only until complete.  Not 40, not 100, SIX!

I encourage all of you to take the following steps:

1. Imagine.

2. Write it all down.

3. Hone it down to six goals next year.

4. Visualize it (create the board).

5. Stay focused and take the right actions.

6. Sit back and enjoy your accomplishments. 

If you want to learn more about Linda’s progam, Next Level Living, email me at cheri@sageintl.com

While October is my favorite month - Halloween is definately my favorite day.  While I often struggle to remember things from yesterday, so many of my fondest memories are of Halloween.  I can remember every costume and certainly all the laughter!  I dig the costumes, the candy, the colors…everything fun and goulish!  No, I do not do cute Halloween.  My philosphy is you can be anything you want for Halloween as long as your dead! 

I decorate my house inside and out, sometimes even more than Christmas.  In fact, I have an entire village of haunted houses, shipwrecks and graveyards.  The house is lit up in purples and oranges, blacklights and spiderwebs and many candles burn with the scent of fall.  Haunted sounds play outside while a fog machine swirls its mist in the spooky courtyard.  Giant ghosts, crime scene tape and bodies drawn on the driveway greet you as you approach the house and then a tree with hanging heads is what you must walk through to get to the front door.   Scary…YES!

It all goes up the week of Halloween and comes down the very next day.  A lot of work…a lot of fun…oh and the capper is one outrageous Halloween Party that totally rocks the house.  Each year about 75 friends all dressed in fantastic costumes show up with plenty of food and festive libations.  

Lot’s of Tricks…Lot’s of Treats!

Happy Halloween

Guess who I get to introduce (because I am speaking right before him) at the Sparks Chamber of Commerce Business Forum?  Michael Gerber!  I have been a devout student of Michael Gerber (he wrote the E-Myth) for many years and was very excited that our business forum committee, on which I serve, was able to secure him as our Keynote Speaker for this event.  I can honestly say that every entrepreneur I have ever talked to I always end up recommending they tap into Michael Gerber’s books and information because he is without question: THE SMALL BUSINESS GURU!  

His newest book, Awakening the Entrepreneur Within is sure to be a bestseller as well.  You can bet I’ll be standing in line to get my own autographed copy.  If your a local, I hope you will be joining us at this event!

I hope all of the fabulous women in my life join this amazing network.  As a founding member of the Reno chapter it is with great pleasure that I get to share the fact that our Managing Director, Kymberlee Simantel was recently awarded, “Managing Director of the Year” (over 113 chapters in North America), which is well deserved and a wonderful honor.  I am so proud of her and everything she has accomplished over the last 3 years.  From recognizing the need to start a chapter in Reno, NV to building a strong and viable community of fabulous and successful women.  Every age, every walk of life. 

To be honest, I am very particular about how I want to spend my time.  I do not belong to a bunch of networking organizations, not because I don’t think they serve a terrific purpose (most do), simply because I know exactly what I want/expect in return for my time.  For me, it’s all about building long-term relationships that support and nurture each other and in my opinion, some groups get it and some don’t.

I can honestly say, this one does.  I have made a lot of terrific connections both personally and professionally.  And even more important you need to know the heart of eWomenNetwork is the eWomenNetwork Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and in-kind services, through grants and awards, in support of women and children.

I have introduced eWomenNetwork to a lot of women (even those I have just met) and believe me once they attend I get big bear hugs for doing so!

There are so many benefits so please check them out.  To learn more please visit:

http://www.ewomennetwork.com/index.html to find out if there is a chapter located in your area. 

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