December 2022
Strategies for Success Newsletter December 2022 Issue 204
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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2022 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this December 2022 issue:
- Thoughts from the Office
- Thoughts from Home
- Stay Energized
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- Thoughts from the Office
Can you deliver what you promise?
John and I bought our dream car this year. It’s a Genesis GV70. An added perk was the concierge package offered by Genesis. For the first 30,000 miles, routine maintenance is complimentary plus the dealership sends an employee to our home with a loaner car, leaves their car, takes ours back to be serviced and returns it that day. What a luxury!
At the first oil change, John called to schedule the concierge service. He was politely told they didn’t have the staff now to provide it. There was a two-month wait. In the scheme of things, it was no big deal. We’ve been taking cars for service our entire lives. However, a service was offered they could not provide on a timely basis leaving us with a negative experience.
Moral of the story. Pay attention to what is committed to customers. A satisfied customer can quickly become dissatisfied not with what you did, but what you promised and couldn’t do.
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- Thoughts from Home
Be a thoughtful party guest
At-home holiday entertaining is in full swing now. While I see plenty of advice on how to host a good gathering, I rarely see tips on how to be a considerate party or dinner guest. Here’s my advice to guests from years of hosting parties.
- RSVP as early as possible.
- Don’t bring fresh cut flowers that need to be put in a vase. Your host is busy greeting people, getting drinks, and putting the food out. The last thing she needs to do is find a vase and arrange fresh flowers.
- Do bring a small hostess gift. A plant, a bottle of wine (do not expect it to be opened), or a gourmet food item are all appropriate hostess gifts. Do not expect your offering to be opened when received. Be sure it’s in a gift bag or has a tag on it with a note and your name.
- Don’t bring an unexpected food item to be served. Years ago, we had a cocktail party and a guest brought a big pot of soup. She had made it that day and thought people would enjoy it. A nice gesture, but a bit out of step. I kept the soup warm on the cooktop and put a few bowls beside it.
- Don’t leave your dirty dishes on tables. Find the area, probably the kitchen, where you can dispose of used plates and glasses.
- Ignore your phone. We all look things up when we talk with people and that’s fine. Avoid responding to messages and calls that can wait until later.
- Some hosts ask about dietary considerations, especially for a dinner party. If you get the feeling your restrictions are too much for the host to accommodate, offer to bring your own food. At no time during a party should you complain to anyone that there is nothing you can eat. You don’t want that to get back to the host.
- A friendly reminder. Don’t drink too much. Don’t talk politics.
- If you find you can’t attend, let the host know as early as possible. Always tell the host you can’t make it to the gathering even if it’s at the last minute.
- For a dinner party, it’s appropriate to stay about an hour after dinner is over, unless you are rushed out the door by the host.
- Offer to help clear dishes and clean up.
- Write a brief thank you note a day or two after the party. Text, e-mail, or handwritten all work.
Have fun at your holiday gatherings!
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- Josmo’s Café
Cheesy Potato Casserole is another great recipe from my sister-in-law Tommi. Everyone loves it! It’s easy to adjust for the number of guests. Make it ahead and pop it in the oven when you’re ready. Enjoy!
Our holiday entertaining is not complete unless I make the impressive, delicious and colorful appetizer Goat Cheese, Ricotta, and Pesto Terrine. Your guests will love it!
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- Stay Energized
Our Energizer Minute for December is The Power of One.
We want to share some things we’ve enjoyed this year that you may like as well.
- Playing the easy and fun card game Five Crowns with friends and family.
- Listening to the 2019 four-hour audio book of Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White. Beautifully narrated by Meryl Streep, the cast brings to life Fern, Wilbur, Charlotte, and Templeton. A timeless story for all ages to enjoy.
- Reading the creative and quirky novel Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Be prepared to fall in love with Elizabeth Zott and Six-Thirty.
- Advancing to 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles. Some puzzles have position clues on the back. Some don’t!
- Doing Wordle with John every day. Sharing the result with our best buddy.
- Sharing my homemade soups, breads and almond granola with our dear 85-year-old neighbors.
- Taking the children in our life to lots of festivals and science centers.
John and I wish you an abundance of fun and laughter in the new year!
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Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information, contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.
© 2022 Emily Huling Selling Strategies All rights reserved.