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Saturday my daughter and I went to the new IKEA here in Charlotte, NC. Their furniture showroom had everything you could imagine and they had it in every color. It was quite an experience…a very good experience!

This experience started with the parking. Even the parking attendants were organized. You would have thought you were going to a huge concert the way they were directing traffic…for a minute I thought I was going to have to pay for parking. As one car left, the parking attendants would direct another car into that very space. No cruzing the parking lot to try to find a spot…they directed you right to it!

Next we went inside and up to the showrooms. Every inch of space was organized with a theme and furniture to match. Even with the large number of people there, the inside traffice kept flowing. If you ran into a problem, there were plenty of the IKEA staff there to answer any questions.

These employees made you feel like you were the only visitor they had with their one-on-one customer service. They didn’t rush you or brush you aside, they simply took the time to listen and answer your questions.

In Summary…IKEA had anticipated their clients needs …were prepared to meet them…and went the extra mile in doing so.

Which brings me to you and your business. Are you taking the time to simply listen and answer your clients questions? Have you anticipated their needs? This can be as simple as a brochure with frequently asked questions, a web site, an information product, a report, or a combination of all these.

Maybe you have some or all the above mentioned items…how long has it been since they’ve been updated?

We are living in the age of “instant gratification”, your clients want information and they want it now. Anticipating your clients needs and being prepared says a great deal about who you are…you are a company that’s interested in meeting your client’s needs by solving their problems.

Bottom line: You want them to know you not only HAVE their solution…you ARE their solution! Then you are on your way to being a…WOW…IKEA!

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Livvie Matthews, freelance writing services/Owner of Write Business has been helping businesses with their online and printed marketing content including Brochures, Web Site content, White Pages, e-mail Marketing, and Newsletters since the late ’90′s. e-mail Livvie@writebusiness.net or Visit http://www.WriteBusiness.net.

There is so much going on in our country right now, loss of jobs, loss of homes, loss of savings, but yet there is much to be thankful for.

We can be thankful for HOPE. We are a country full of innovative people, entrepreneurs, and survivors. We will get through this. We had never been through anything like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and some of the other disasters…but we came through them. We WILL come through this.

We Americans are a resourceful people, and when our backs are pressed to the wall, we push forward with a new zest! New ideas, new opportunities, new businesses, new jobs, and yes…new dreams will spring from this moment in history.

But for now, let’s be thankful for what we do have…families, friends, and people who love us and who we love. Now…right now, that support is very much wanted, needed, and welcomed!

Recently at work this was brought to my attention in three ways:

1) A co-worker’s husband lost his job at the company he worked for. They have 2 teenage sons enjoying their teen years and looking forward to the holidays…now their dad is unemployed.

2) My employer had to put a co-worker on a “day by day” basis. With production being down, there wasn’t enough work to keep both the employees in that position.

3) A mom brought her son in for his appointment and while talking with one of the ladies at the front desk, the mom started crying. Come to find out, it had been a very tough year for her…she had just gone through a divorce and things were very tight. She said she was concerned there wouldn’t be a Christmas for her son, but her main concern was… there may not be food on the table!

Financially most of us are in a bind now with all this going on, and there may not be a lot of money. But we can let our friends, family, and co-workers know…we’re here and we care.

So when you sit down for your Thanksgiving dinner…no matter where it is or what it is, if there is someone beside you…reach out and let that person know you’re here and you care…as you thank God for the MANY blessings you DO have…after all, you woke up this morning, didn’t you!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We hear it all the time, “Stop and smell the roses”, but until the roses bloom, stop and take the time to enjoy the beautiful flowering trees and shrubs. In our area the Cherry trees and the Azelea’s are blooming and they are gorgeous.

Here in the South, Azelea’s can be found from small, about 18″ tall to the “tree” Azelea, which can stand 6 feet tall and come in an array of colors.

One of the most interesting events featuring Azelea’s is approaching. The 61st Annual North Carolina Azelea Festival will be held April 9-13, 2008 in the greater Wilmington, NC area.

To quote the official site:

For more than 50 years, the folks of Southeastern North Carolina have been throwing the best party in the South and you’re invited! There’s something for everyone among our community’s rich array of artwork, gardens, history and culture. Come join us!

More Festival pictures can be seen here Enjoy the Azaleas, the Festival, and the pictures of the Southern Belle’s.

The Cherry trees are also in full bloom and with the wind we’ve had recently it almost looks as though it’s snowing when the pedals are falling. Hopefully the cold snap we are experiencing will not keep the Cherry trees or the Azalea’s from blooming their full cycle.

So until the roses bloom for you to stop and smell….enjoy the beauty of the Cherry trees and the Azalea’s. It’s a sight worth seeing!

This time of year, with the Christmas season behind us and looking ahead to a new year, brings about new energy. Yes, we’ve all shopped till we dropped and have exhausted ourselves getting ready for Christmas, but yet there is a renewed kind of energy just thinking about starting a new year.

Whether it’s personal, business, or both, take some time to reflect on what you would like to accomplish this year and the steps needed to get you there.

I always have such good intentions the first of the year, full of energy, and thinking of project after project to accomplish. But through the years, I’ve also discovered something about myself…I do better if I narrow down the “projects” to just a couple. I will be more inclined to accompolish a couple. Then if time permits, I can move on to something else.

Is there something you have wanted to do for some time but yet put it off for one reason or another. Maybe it’s going into business for yourself, but you just keep putting it off. Maybe it’s taking another step towards growing your business, but you just keep putting that off. Maybe it’s asking for that promotion at work.

Whatever it is, take some time to really find the reason for not going forward. Is it fear…fear you won’t succeed? Fear you won’t accompolish what you set out to do? Fear you might be turned down? Even fear that you might just be successul?

Discover then breakdown your fear and see if you can take some steps to move you closer to the goals you really want to meet for 2008. You are the one in control, not your emotions. You are the one who can move yourself forward.

Now it’s almost the countdown for the New Year. As you countdown from 2007, start up to 2008 with your steps in place and be ready for an absolutely… Happy New Year!!!