How would you like to have more confidence with your Minutes Matter Studio graphic design skills AND be able to produce a rendering better and faster? If your answer is yes, don’t miss this opportunity to make a drastic change in your business.

Check out our newest testimony!

“Studio’s Coaching Program was truly amazing! I learned SO much and Merlyn was SO patient with me! She is really THE best! I struggled with the “Homework” many times and she was always there to help me! I really appreciate all she did for me! I can FINALLY say I know how to use Studio after owning it for far too many years than I care to admit with not using it!” ~ N Hogan

Sign up for our  Level II Coaching program and we guarantee you’ll see great changes in your business in 2013. Education keeps your business moving forward. DON’T WAIT, our coaching session begins NEXT THURSDAY, January 24th.

If this is the year you would like to gain mastery over your graphic skills and take your design renderings to the next level, why don’t you enroll in one of our coaching programs? Studio Coaching programs are offered exclusively through the WFCP (Window Fashions Certification Program) and Minutes Matter. We know so many of you are barely skimming the surface of what Studio can do for your business. Our goal is to make sure you are fully utilizing all aspects of this multifaceted program.

Almost every part of our business and personal lives would benefit from some type of coaching. A skilled coach can help achieve a goal faster and easier. Coaches stretch us and make us reach for skills we thought were out of reach. A good coach will recognize weaknesses and help you improve in those areas. We feel very strongly about the coaching programs we offer at Minutes Matter. Students who have completed the Studio Coaching program have come away with a feeling of accomplishment and proficiency that is not achieved in any other teaching environment.

Check out a few comments from former students regarding our coaching sessions . . .
“I have gone from occasionally using Studio to finding daily opportunities to put it to good use. We have had the program for a few years but weren’t utilizing it nearly enough. Clients more and more want and expect this technology. The class and coaching from Merlyn (amazingly patient woman!!) is worth every penny and every minute spent….and then some!” On top of all that I had a great time!” ~ S Rhoten

“I just finished this course and wanted to let you know how very glad I am that I took it. I have had Studio for about 3 years and have hacked my way through but with the focus on ‘virtual’ everything, I decided I should get more proficient with this tool if I wanted to be able to market my skills effectively. Merlyn IS a magician. She coached the best from me, more than I thought I could EVER do. With my new skills I am more inspired and so much more confident. Once again, the Minutes Matter team has gone above and beyond what I expected. You have put together a spectacular team that can produce such a fine product, support that product and expand that product while keeping the customer growing with you. Quite an accomplishment. Thank you – to you and ALL of your team. Especially Merlyn.” ~ Linda Whitaker

“The coaching session has been extremely important as I grow my business and expand my network. It is not just about using the Minutes Matter Studio program that has increased my sales; it is about belonging to group that encourages everyone to move forward. The program is a must have in today’s competitive consumer landscape!” ~ Juanita Strassfield

“I so enjoyed the Level I Coaching Program. I have had Studio since Nov. ’08 but had not tried to do much with it because I just didn’t have the computer skills and did not really understand the tutorial DVD enough to feel comfortable. I had not attended any conferences due to the cost so I was excited when the program was offered. Merlyn was very thorough in her teaching and had the utmost of patience with all of us. I feel more comfortable with my general computer skills. I did not even know how to attach to an email! I appreciate Minutes Matter developing this Coaching Program and I appreciate the time that Merlyn spent as our coach! It was money well spent and I am looking forward to see if I can handle the Advanced Program! The only regret I have is that it had to end!” ~ Beth Watson

“Not only did I learn a lot about Studio 3.0 through the novice training class but I also had a lot of fun. I actually miss not having homework to do anymore! My renderings have improved so much that I am happy to show them to my customers and their feedback has been extremely positive. I know Studio is going to help me sell more jobs.” ~ Kim Powers

Check out our graduates! Minutes Matter graduates have completed all homework assignments and submitted their final project. It’s not hard to graduate, but you are required to participate and submit your homework.

 

 

 

 

 

Studio’s Coaching Programs

You’ll learn to use Studio faster and better than you ever dreamed possible. When you have great graphic skills, you’ll give a rendering to every client for every room. Once you begin using this strategy, your clients will be marketing for you! Everyone loves to think they have a designer using the latest technology. When your clients can view a rendering of THEIR project with THEIR wall color, THEIR window treatment, THEIR fabric they are ready to sign on the bottom line. Best of all, you’ll love seeing your bottom line increase!

When you participate in our six week coaching program, you receive live, via the Internet, hands-on time with an expert instructor. Each session is specifically tailored to suit your needs in a natural progression. When you actually perform a task yourself, you are more likely to retain it, understand it and finally allow it to become second nature. Learning to utilize Studio to the max will give you the ability to move your company’s services out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary.

For a complete course outline click on the link below. (Class size is limited to 12.)

Cost: $647 (6 week class)
Class time: 90 minutes (each week)


|Studio Level II Coaching Class ~ Thursday, January 24th Click here for more details & to register|

I subscribe to Google’s blog, and today I noticed they have teamed up with Intuit to provide a great service to small-business owners who haven’t developed a company website. It’s called Get Your Business Online! Below is part of today’s blog. If you haven’t set up a website for your business, you’ll definitely want to check this out. It’s free for the first year and then after that it’s $6.99 per month. Included is in the offer is a mobile version of you website. This allows your website to be viewed easier on mobile devices. Wow, can it get any cheaper than that? Here’s an FAQ to answer a few more questions you may have about this special offer. Creating a website for your business is one of the smartest ways to begin 2013.

 

Get Your Business Online

When Melodie Bishop heard about our Get Your Business Online program (an initiative that makes it fast, easy and free for U.S. businesses to get online), she jumped at the opportunity to turn her hobby of creating Chicago-themed gift baskets into a full-time business. Since launching her website, Send Them Chicago, this past summer, Melodie has seen a 70 percent increase in new customers.

As the holidays wrap up and the New Year starts, millions of business owners just like Melodie are thinking about how they can grow in 2013. For many, this means getting found and connecting with customers on the web.

Yet often, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why we’re helping business owners create a list of New Year’s resolutions for 2013.

Let us know what you hope to accomplish in the New Year. Do you want to get your basic business information online? Or do you already have a website and want to reach more customers? Once you select your goals, we’ll create a customized list of resolutions with resources to help you stick to it.

In the U.S., 58 percent of small businesses don’t have a website, but 97 percent of Internet users look online for local products and services. So it’s not surprising that businesses with a web presence are expected to grow 40 percent faster than those without. Creating a list of resolutions for your business may just be one of the easiest things you can do to help your business grow.

I hope to see your business online in 2013!!

By the way Happy New Year!

 

Today, I received an email from Google’s blog announcing their Google Maps App for iPhone. I instantly downloaded it and love several of their features. It is quick and very easy to use. It even links with Google Earth. One thing that they are missing is the ability to link to your contacts. I’m sure they’ll add that feature soon. Check it out and download now; it’s FREE!

Here’s some of the features:

• Save as a favorite
• Share
• Call
• Street View
• Voice guided turn by turn navigation
• Local search for your favorite public places
• Reviews
• Zoom feature
• FREE!

 

 

How would you like to have more confidence with your graphic design skills AND be able to produce a rendering faster? If your answer is yes, don’t miss this opportunity to make a drastic change in your business.

Check out our newest testimony!

“Studio’s Coaching Program was truly amazing! I learned SO much and Merlyn was SO patient with me! She is really THE best! I struggled with the “Homework” many times and she was always there to help me! I really appreciate all she did for me! I can FINALLY say I know how to use Studio after owning it for far too many years than I care to admit with not using it!” ~ N Hogan

*************************************************************************************

Sign up for our Level I or Level II Coaching program and we guarantee you’ll see great changes in your business in 2013. Education keeps your business moving forward. DON’T WAIT, our coaching sessions usually fill up several days prior to the first class. Don’t miss your chance for this incredible opportunity. Our next coaching sessions will be in the summer.

If this is the year you would like to gain mastery over your graphic skills and take your design renderings to the next level, why don’t you enroll in one of our coaching programs? Studio Coaching programs are offered exclusively through the WFCP (Window Fashions Certification Program) and Minutes Matter. We know so many of you are barely skimming the surface of what Studio can do for your business. Our goal is to make sure you are fully utilizing all aspects of this multifaceted program.

Almost every part of our business and personal lives would benefit from some type of coaching. A skilled coach can help achieve a goal faster and easier. Coaches stretch us and make us reach for skills we thought were out of reach. A good coach will recognize weaknesses and help you improve in those areas. We feel very strongly about the coaching programs we offer at Minutes Matter. Students who have completed the Studio Coaching program have come away with a feeling of accomplishment and proficiency that is not achieved in any other teaching environment.

Check out a few comments from former students regarding our coaching sessions . . .

“I have gone from occasionally using Studio to finding daily opportunities to put it to good use. We have had the program for a few years but weren’t utilizing it nearly enough. Clients more and more want and expect this technology. The class and coaching from Merlyn (amazingly patient woman!!) is worth every penny and every minute spent….and then some!” On top of all that I had a great time!” ~ S Rhoten

“I just finished this course and wanted to let you know how very glad I am that I took it. I have had Studio for about 3 years and have hacked my way through but with the focus on ‘virtual’ everything, I decided I should get more proficient with this tool if I wanted to be able to market my skills effectively. Merlyn IS a magician. She coached the best from me, more than I thought I could EVER do. With my new skills I am more inspired and so much more confident. Once again, the Minutes Matter team has gone above and beyond what I expected. You have put together a spectacular team that can produce such a fine product, support that product and expand that product while keeping the customer growing with you. Quite an accomplishment. Thank you – to you and ALL of your team. Especially Merlyn.” ~ Linda Whitaker

“The coaching session has been extremely important as I grow my business and expand my network. It is not just about using the Minutes Matter Studio program that has increased my sales; it is about belonging to group that encourages everyone to move forward. The program is a must have in today’s competitive consumer landscape!” ~ Juanita Strassfield

“I so enjoyed the Level I Coaching Program. I have had Studio since Nov. ’08 but had not tried to do much with it because I just didn’t have the computer skills and did not really understand the tutorial DVD enough to feel comfortable. I had not attended any conferences due to the cost so I was excited when the program was offered. Merlyn was very thorough in her teaching and had the utmost of patience with all of us. I feel more comfortable with my general computer skills. I did not even know how to attach to an email! I appreciate Minutes Matter developing this Coaching Program and I appreciate the time that Merlyn spent as our coach! It was money well spent and I am looking forward to see if I can handle the Advanced Program! The only regret I have is that it had to end!” ~ Beth Watson

“Not only did I learn a lot about Studio 3.0 through the novice training class but I also had a lot of fun. I actually miss not having homework to do anymore! My renderings have improved so much that I am happy to show them to my customers and their feedback has been extremely positive. I know Studio is going to help me sell more jobs.” ~ Kim Powers

Check out our graduates! Minutes Matter graduates have completed all homework assignments and submitted their final project. It’s not hard to graduate, but you are required to participate and submit your homework.

You’ll learn to use Studio faster and better than you ever dreamed possible. When you have great graphic skills, you’ll give a rendering to every client for every room. Once you begin using this strategy, your clients will be marketing for you! Everyone loves to think they have a designer using the latest technology. When your clients can view a rendering of THEIR project with THEIR wall color, THEIR window treatment, THEIR fabric they are ready to sign on the bottom line. Best of all, you’ll love seeing your bottom line increase!

When you participate in our six week coaching program, you receive live, via the Internet, hands-on time with an expert instructor. Each session is specifically tailored to suit your needs in a natural progression. When you actually perform a task yourself, you are more likely to retain it, understand it and finally allow it to become second nature. Learning to utilize Studio to the max will give you the ability to move your company’s services out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary.

For a complete course outlines click on the links below. (Class size is limited to 12.)

Cost: $647 (6 week class)
Class time: 90 minutes (each week)

|Studio Level I Coaching Class ~ Tuesday, January 15th Click here for more details & to register|

|Studio Level II Coaching Class ~ Thursday, January 24th Click here for more details & to register|

 

Bob Phibbs offer great advice when it comes to creating a great rapport with your clients. I first heard about Bob during a webinar he did for Hunter Douglas several years ago and I’ve been following him ever since. If you would like to read his tips for the holidays fill out the form and you’ll receive the ebook instantly.  If you don’t own a retail store don’t worry much of his content will apply to any business owner. I also recommend Liking him on Facebook.

 

Click here to read more and get your free ebook today . . .

 

Love the name of Sherwin-Williams online magazine ~ Stir! Perfect name. They have just released their iPad app for Stir. Their magazine if full of design and color inspirations. I have been reading Stir on my computer for months; looking forward to reading it on my iPad.

Below are some of the things you can expect to find in every magazine of Stir:

•   Free, auto-updating app brings the magic of the STIR® magazine experience to life on your tablet device.
•   Stunning, interactive photo slideshows.
•   Interviews with colorful design personalities and detailed project features.
•   Exclusive videos, including behind-the-scenes project videos and interviews with our popular Color Spy personalities.
•   Tap to explore color by family, access RGB values and LRV numbers, and get product specs.

Download Stir to your iPad today; it’s free.

I subscribe to Jane Pollak’s blog and love reading the wisdom/insight she shares with her readers. Thanks to Vickie Ayres, I subscribed a couple of years ago. Over the years, I have shared several of her blog posts. This is one of her best in my opinion. It rings so true for customer service today. I wholeheartedly agree with Jane. Please read and share with other business owners. I especially love the turkey story.

**FYI, Jane has recently moved to NY, you’ll understand why I mentioned this as you read her article.

 

Not sure what to call the mother of my daughter’s mother-in-law (there is a Yiddish word, but that’d take too much explaining), but she (Vivian) recently recommended her hair stylist to me. I signed up for a 2pm cut with Olga today, arrived early (some things haven’t changed) and she was able to take me immediately. I had calculated an hour at the salon, however between getting there ahead of time and the brevity of the appointment, I’m now at the New York Public Library, and it’s just 2:45pm. I had time before catching the 4:15pm train to Westport and wanted to get a posting out today.

Woo-hoo! I’m feeling like a real New Yorker. I wanted to log onto a computer here and remembered that in the past, as an out-of-towner, there would be a 45-60 minute wait. Since I have now have one of those groovy, keyring library cards for NYC, I simply logged on to the reservation site and voila. I’m sitting here typing away.

Back to Olga…She did a nice job (photos coming soon-Doreen will be picking me up in Westport and never travels without a camera), but was somewhat stand-offish. You know the old adage, you only have one chance to make a first impression. Here I am, a business coach and first time customer approaching her company based on a referral. She was semi-engaging, but mostly seemed bored and a tad annoyed. Full disclosure-Vivian had negotiated her valued customer pricing (read that: unbelievably cheap) for me. I had to wonder if Olga had only grudgingly agreed to hold that price for me.

There is always a golden opportunity to engage with a potential client.

I’ll never forget Stew Leonard’s example that’s in all the business books. One customer came in after Thanksgiving and wanted a refund for the turkey she’d purchased. “It was dry,” she complained. Stew sells thousands of turkeys, and this woman was the only one who wanted a refund. He never for a second thought to question her cooking skills. I’m paraphrasing, but his perspective was he’d much rather refund $30 on the turkey than turn away a potential relationship that could equate to thousands and thousands of dollars over time, especially if she was treated as a valuable customer.

I wasn’t $50 sitting in that chair. Potentially, I’m a $10,000 customer for this woman, not to mention the referrals I’d make and the product purchases I’d rack up.

As I was seated under the hairdryer and Olga came to feel my head for moisture, she said, “Thank you for trusting me.” I appreciated that she recognized the risk each new customer takes when she enters your domain. That simple acknowledgment erased any negative feelings I’d experienced.

You may have only one chance to make a first impression, but within the time frame of your earliest relationship, there is room for error and adjustment. Even more important than getting off to a good start, there’s the adage that says, “It’s not the mistakes that you make, it’s how you clean them up that counts.”

To subscribe to Jane Pollak’s blog ~ click here!

 

Tis the season we all carve out some time to spend time with our friends and family. What better way to welcome guests than by adding a few holiday touches to the outside of your home.

This year on The Lounge, our forum, Merlyn decided to challenge herself by using Studio’s features and functions to decorate the exteriors of homes. I captured three of her renderings to give you a taste of what the Lounge has in store for you. She used Studio’s Fill feature to change the exterior. Wow, how clever is that? Log back in often to see what’s new. (TIP: Once in the forum thread, click on the jpeg thumbnail to enlarge the image.)

 

I love decorated exteriors during the holidays, they always bring a smile to my face. Even though, Jerry and I don’t do much decorating on the outside of our home I love to see what others have done. I think it’s the lights. I love lights! ****Scratch that, I think Merlyn has inspired us! I finally got Jerry to agree. We’re going to Lowe’s this afternoon to pick up a few lights to for my new idea. I’ll post a photo on the forum when we’re done. Maybe Merlyn will do a rendition of it. Hint, hint!!

Merlyn is inviting everyone to join her in the holiday fun. You can take photos of your home or a client’s home and decorate away. You have the whole month to work your magic.

 

My church is having a Christmas musical this Sunday night and they are singing this sweet, sweet song. I had to share it with you guys. Enjoy!

PwnedList, is a service that notifies you if it discovers your email in the hacker soup it’s constantly monitoring. All you have to do is enter your email address, though if even that makes you uncomfortable, just sign up with a securely SHA-512-hashed version of your address (which the site explains and shows you how to create). Be sure to verify your email account by clicking on the link in the email they send.

Have questions about PwnedList and why they got started?

I just signed up for my free account. Good News! My email account was free and clear. YAY! My account is verified and I’m waiting on my first report. See my account below:

If you have a Mac and want to also run PC software, Parallels is the PERFECT solution. Their newest version, Parallels 8, is now available. They just released a SUPER sale for upgrades which is $34.99. I just purchased! This offer expires November 20th. Don’t miss it.