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WHAT A GREAT DAY!
In October the London and Area Chapter hosted its first ever Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) Professional Development Day. Wow, that was a mouthful! It was a day to focus on our business and on how to be a better – professional!
🏡 Where to Stay: Top Accommodations
🥾 Explore: Tours & Experiences
🚙 Hit the Road: Car Rental Deals
🛫 Get Away: Find Flight Deals
🎒 Shop: Travel Essentials
We had POC members from London & Area, Durham, GTA North and Grand River chapters join us for a full day of valuable information. Our theme was Be Seen, Be Found, Be Booked Solid! Our special guests included an image consultant who provided us valuable lessons on how to create a lasting first impression and develop a personal brand. Amy Elizabeth Casson, from Polished Image, explained how our demeanor, our appearance and our overall professional presence impacts our first impressions in a social, business and networking setting.
As a social media evangelist, my company LinkedLearning, helps entrepreneurs learn how to use social networking platforms. I presented an overview of the value of social media and how being found on the Internet can grow your business. I specifically walk my colleagues through the benefits of having a professional presence on LinkedIn. Being found through social media is no longer an option but a necessity. Learning how to use a blog, LI, Facebook and Twitter can all help you stand out in today’s media-rich environment.
Our afternoon was spent with Kevin Seyler from Happy Monks, a local business owner that lead us through an exercise in relaxation and mediation. Our big ‘take away’: being relaxed and better focused helps us become more grounded an in turn more productive. Professional organizers encounter clients that are stressed beyond belief. Any emotional decision-making event can send our clients into a tailspin. Kevin was able to provide a quick meditation that we can use with our clients to help them settle, reduce stress and focus on the tasks at hand. A valuable tool for a PO!
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| What a Winning Smile Photo credit: Eric Malette |
Over lunch we had Eric Malette, a professional photographer take head shots for our profiles, websites or info sheets that we might use to promote our business. With help from Ellen Whiting from Mary Kay Cosmetics, our attendees where treated to mini-makeovers to look perfectly professional. Here is a fantastic picture of our London and Area, Treasurer, Mariette Bardoel of Simply Organized Solutions.
Our last speaker was Steve Dennison of Steve Dennison Consulting. A seasoned sales professional, he took us through the sales cycle and the consultative sales process. He told us how to ask the right questions to solicit the answers that we need to meet our clients concerns. Ask the right question and you provide the right solution because after all, business is about finding a solution for your client!
Our day was made that much better by door prizes and goody bags. Our special thanks to the London and Area Chapter, Jillian Holmes, Amy Casson, Avery Dennison (see our products review blog), Era Graphics, Linked Learning and 3M for donating gifts!
I wanted to thank all of our presenters and attendees for coming out and spending the day with us. We had such a great response that we are planning our 2011 Fall POC PD day already…what do you expect? We are organizers after all!
🥾 Explore: Tours & Experiences
🏡 Where to Stay: Top Accommodations
🚙 Hit the Road: Car Rental Deals
🛫 Get Away: Find Flight Deals
🎒 Shop: Travel Essentials
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