Aaaaaaaand I’m Back from Vacation!

Hey there, Parker here. Vacation – if you haven’t taken one, start planning now! Did you know that the US only has 10 public holidays where as Denmark, Portugal and South Korea get as many as 15? And that doesn't include additional vacation days provided by individual employers!


I’m not saying renounce your citizenship and head overseas just for the time off, but there are benefits to getting away from your daily commute and work. You are:

• Less stressed
• More relaxed
• More manageable

But as this is my first day back into my physical office, I offer this bit of advice for those who are also returning from their week-long Thanksgiving cruise to the Bahamas (shameless bragging, I know).

Norwegian Sky Cruiseline

1 – Smile. That’s right, smile at everyone who crosses your path. They will feel the positive energy you are radiating and they too will look forward to their time in the sun.


2 – Stick to your To-Do List. You’ve been gone for 10 days and there is a lot of ground to cover, but you cannot get it all done in a single day. If you did, you should seriously question your chosen career.


3 – Carefully check email, voicemail, regular mail (say hi to the fellas in the mailroom) before responding. You might reply to an email that was already addressed while you were away. Or, you might respond with outdated or irrelevant information. Check everything so that you are in the loop.


4 – DO NOT schedule important meetings or reports for your first day back after a 10-day vacation on the warm, sunny beaches of the islands! Not only will you spend your well-earned vacation preparing for the meeting or report, but you rob yourself and colleagues of your full attention. The first day back should be spent getting acclimated to your change in environment – gone are the mid-day pina coladas, midnight pool parties and all you can eat filet mignon, clams casino and lobster buffet. You are in the real world and your best work-oriented thought processes are required. Allow a day for this transition to take full effect.

5 – Start planning your next getaway, right away. Do it now! Once you are fully entrenched with your daily schedule of deadlines, reports, meetings and tasks, you will think to yourself “I’m too busy to take a vacation.” You will forget how much more productive you are when you have recharged your mind and enjoyed the fruits of your labor. So get on the phone with your travel agent (Charles Twitty, Travel Around The World was fantastic!) and book your vacation for next year!


Best,
Parker

Take Time to Relax

Hey there, Parker here.  Actually, I'm here, there and everywhere in between.  I'm accessible by home phone, work phone, iphone, blackberry, email, gmail, instant message, facebook, foursquare, linkedin, google video chat, msn messenger, skype, text, voicemail and yellow post-it notes.


At any given moment you can reach me in my car, in my house, in my yard, at the park, at the grocery store and even at the dentist office while I'm waiting in the chair.


But as of next week, all of that changes.

gratuitous pic of cute guy

I will be out of reach, out of the office, out of pocket, out of touch, off the grid, offline and checked-out for the first time in a very long time.  That's right, folks - Parker is taking a vacation!


My standard away messages have always been "leave a message and I'll get back to you."  Not this time.  If you call me, text me, skype me, email me, instant message me, ping me, or knock on my door you will get this:  I'm out.  Peace.


And why is this important?  Because we all need to take time out and regroup.  Everyone should have a moment of silent reflection to gather their thoughts and understand the big picture in life.  If you work hard you deserve to play just as hard.  So I encourage everyone to take time out and rest.  Just know that when you return to the hustle and bustle of your daily routine, you will handle it with a better frame of mind.


And with that - I'm out!  Peace!


Parker

What's in an Email Signature?

Hey there, Parker here.

There's a lot to be said about your email signature.  You are not only signaling a close to a correspondance, but you're telling people more about your self than you may realize.

For a long time I would simply say "Thanks, Parker" and leave it at that.  No follow-up contact information, not even my email address or my full name.  (Okay, I still sign my emails "Parker" but I now include every way possible for the recipient to reach out to me).

This is because not everyone sends or accepts a vCard.  Some folks get the information they need and delete their emails to keep an organized inbox (I'm guilty).  Many people are using their mobile devices to send and receive their emails so why not let them view your website or return a call with a tap of the screen?

It's easy and it is the right thing to do in our modern world.

But there's another advantage to properly using your email signature - promotion.  That's right!  You can leave your name, number, email address, website, social media URLs and a quick tag line about your recent award, recognition or innovative product launch.

Simply put, use the email signature to your advantage and view it as yet another other tool in your marketing arsenal.



Best,
Parker

Online Down Time

how i spend my free time

Hey there, Parker here.  I'm using my downtime to unwind online.  How does one spend all day staring at a computer monitor, only to come home and stare at a laptop or hand held device playing games?  Easy.  


I'm a huge fan of xBox 360 Civilization Revolution 4.  Get me in front of a PC with Total Annihilation UTASP and I'm caught up for hours.  Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance on my Platystation 2 not only had me up for 3 days straight, but when I finally closed my eyes it was in my dreams for nearly a week.

baldur's gate rocks!

I can't help it.  I'm a computer screen, tv screen, mobile device screen junkie.  I go to as many NFL games as I can and root for the home-team.  But I'm watching the jumbo screen for a clear view of the action.  I enjoy a good book as often as not.  Yet I read more novels than most on a handheld device.  I listen to the traffic report on the radio every morning at exactly 6:48AM, but I pull up my traffic cam app on the iPhone to check out the live views before I hit the road.

yes, football fan for life

Is it a sign of the times?  Maybe.  Is it convenient for me?  Absolutely.  So how am I spending my downtime on a Sunday evening?  I'm texting my thoughts on the Steelers-Patriots games with my buddy.  I'm playing Art Thief on miniclips.com, I'm updating my blog with random thoughts of what I'm doing online, I'm video-conferencing with my sister to plan our Christmas dinner and I'm setting the DVR to record the Real Housewives for viewing after the game.


All in all, I'm having a great time!  And as soon as the game is over, the DVR is set, my camera shuts off and I beat this silly online game, I'll get in bed and curl up with Dean Koontz's latest eBook.


Online downtime doesn't get any better than this!


Best, 
Parker

Google

Hi there, Parker here. Let's keep this one brief - Google. Enough said, right? Well I'm here to say I'm sold, I believe the hype, I'm drinking the kool-aid and I am a Google products stalker.

Why? Because they get me. They know I need metrics to evaluate the performance of my website and ads.  They know I like talking to my friends by video and instant message.  They understand that Parker needs to access all of her 26 different pop-mail accounts that she's been selfishly holding on to since AOL was doling them out like candy in the 90s.

And they get advertising.

Repeat - Google gets online advertising.  They make advertising so easy a kid could do it. And if said kid chose to develop an advertising campaign around the latest fizzing, popping, pink cotton candy, Google has all of the tools necessary to make it happen in a single swoop.  Let's see it in action.

Product: Fizzing, Popping, Pink Cotton-Candy
Goal: Sell a lot of it
Tools: Everything Google has available


First Step: How Do We Get Our Candy In Front of Consumers?

Google Solution - AdWords that push our candy and website on Google's network.

Second Step: We've Built It Online, How Can They Find Us Offline?
Google Solutions - Google Places allows you to post updates, maps, directions, company information and even coupons!

Third Step: We're Too Far From Their House, They Want To Shop Online - How?
Google Solution - Merchant Center and Checkout so they can buy your candy in the comfort of their own living room.

Fourth Step: They've Bought Our Candy, How Do We Measure Our Online Success?
Google Solution - Analytics and Website Optimizer to review your site usage and maximize conversion rates.

Fifth Step: They've Come, They've Bought, They're Telling Their Friends!
Google Solution - GMail and Google Friend Connect will let folks send messages and use social media to evangalize your candy.

Final Step: Success!
With minimal cost and setup you can have your fizzing, popping, pink cotton candy in front of your consumers. With a proper marketing plan in place, those consumers will become your customers. With the right fizzing, popping, pink cotton candy, a solid customer service experience and ease of purchase, your customers will become repeat customers.

So, who's with me on liking Google?

Best,
Parker