Well friends, here we are once again. The Friday evening before the March Break. You either fit into one of two categories.

1. You’re reading this blog post which probably means you’re not travelling for the March Break. No worries. I feel your pain. *Smile*
2. You’re reading this blog post AFTER the March Break because you quickly escaped the craziness of…er…life and work. God love you!

OR

Maybe, there is a third category here?

You ARE a groupie of category 2 but you haven’t left yet. In which case, stop reading now. Click on the cool icon at the bottom of this post and print this document, stuff it in your pocket. It is a great reading piece while you’re on the plane.

If you fit into category one, I have some March Break Madness tips for you. So, grab your java and keep reading. I will wait here for you and if you wouldn’t mind bringing me one as well.

That would be swell.

Boost Your Business Over the March Break

Ladies and Gentlemen, raise your hand if you wish to increase your leads, listings, and leverage.

We’re almost in and are about to go full swing into the spring market. Hard to believe, I know.

The market is picking up. Potential home sellers are starting to wonder what their home is worth and prospective buyers are starting their search for their perfect dream home.

Now is the time you want to make sure you have all your ducks in a row. Use this coming week to kick-start your business into the spring market the right way. Not everyone has gone to the land of beaches and sun. So, revamp and reach out now.

5 Days of Blood, Sweat, and Tears

We are going to write out your action plan for success. If you do the 5 days as outlined below, you will increase your chances of connecting with people in your community and your listings will soar.

Are you ready?

Day 1. Monday.

Create a Social Media Marketing Plan. If you’re not using social media the way you should be, you need to start now.

Put together an action plan that will start to merge social media into your everyday business. Folks, this is so important. How people do business now-a-days has changed.

Start conversations and engage with people and businesses within your community. If you have a social media plan but aren’t using it as you should, today is the day to revamp that plan and put everything into action.

You should have at least one of the following social media sites in addition to your website. (I’ve linked to my own websites to show you exactly what I’m talking about.

1. Twitter Account
2. Facebook Fan Page
3. Linkedin Account

If you have questions or need help with this step, shoot me over an email at Ness@CreativNess.com – I would be delighted to help you.

Note to Self: Don’t forget to check your social media sites including your website to make sure everything is in working order and your information is up-to-date.

Day 2. Tuesday.

Database Recovery Day. When was the last time you went through your entire database? Not your assistant, not your team members but you.

Today is a great day to focus your attention on your database. Has everyone been recently contacted? Sending out a direct mailing is a nifty tool, but it doesn’t give you immediate results. Sort your database, if there are contacts that haven’t been connected with in a while, use the afternoon to start making phone calls.

If you don’t have an organized database. You need one. Like yesterday. Give me a call and I will help you with this task as well. 905.703.1793.

Tip: Sort your database into 3 different categories.

A – High Referral Client – These are contacts that refer you to family, friends and associates often. These are key players in helping you build your business.

B – Medium Referral Client – These are clients that sometimes refer you to family, friends and associates.

C – Low Referral Client – These are clients that rarely refer you to clients. Can you turn them into an A client? Have you asked them for a referral? Why don’t they refer? Find out!

Day 3. Wednesday

Advertising/Marketing. Do you now advertise your business? Are you keeping track of your advertising ventures? Do you know what works and what does?

It’s important to have a plan, but also to know what works. Create an advertising plan that is measurable. How will people know you exist if you aren’t showing and telling them?

If you already have a plan. Review your systems. What has worked in the past? Are your dollars being spent wisely?

Take today to check everything marketing and advertising related with a fine tooth comb.

Day 4. Thursday.

System Implementation. It amazes me how many clients come through my door that don’t have a systematic approach to their business. Making sure each of your clients, no matter the category they fit into, receive the same level of service is vital.

Here’s some food for thought. How often are you ‘touching’ your clients? Once a month? You need to make sure you are keeping in touch with your clients regularly. Hence why Tuesday’s work was important.

Make sure all of your contacts are on some sort of touch program. Make use of your database management program so that you can easily handle this task. If you haven’t sent out a newsletter or some way to keep in touch and let past clients know you are in business, now is the time.

Make sure you have a system to handle your new leads coming into your office. Clients questions should be handled in a timely fashion and receive the answers they need.

I’ve helped many clients make a systematic approach to their business. I’d be honoured to help you as well.

Day 5. Friday.

Party time? Nope. Sorry. Friday is not the let’s take off early for the weekend day. There is still work to be done.

Target Market. Many of my clients’ choose to run their business where they don’t really have a focus of clients they wish to work with. Some will just work within the Halton Region, Kitchener/Waterloo, Greater Toronto Area, and so forth.

It is valuable to select and market to a specific target market and/or farm area.

This will allow you to hone in on your skills and market yourself for all your worth. They say you need to show someone something 7 times before they actually remember it. If you’re attempting to market to an entire Region all at once, it can be hurting your leads.

Start small and grow big. Maybe there is a new sub-division in your area? Perhaps an older part of town, a particular area that caters to the elderly? What about an area that is filled with young families? Any empty nester area?

Use today to research your immediate community and find an area that you can use days 1 through 4′s work and put it to use in your new target area. Once you have targeted this area for a while, you can then start to look at branching out the scope of your business to more areas.

Note to Self: Don’t tackle the area of “everywhere”. Start small. Grow Big.

Day 6. Saturday.

Grab your favourite drink and put your feet up for the day. You deserve it.

Day 7. Sunday.

Use the evening to do a complete review of this weeks work. You want to hit the ground running come Monday morning!

Cheers to your success,

Ness

Spring Break Activities in Uxbridge Ontario @ The Library and More

@ The Library

The Brook Never Sleeps - Tuesday March 13th, 10am to 3pm

A March Break Eco Learning Experience at the Uxbridge Library

A hands on presentation/eco-workshop on the local ecology for ages 10 and up at the Uxbridge Library in co-operation with the Uxbridge Youth Centre on Tuesday March 13th, 10am to 3pm. Get up close and personal with the Uxbridge Brook.

This is an opportunity to learn about the brook first hand, see a video and enjoy a free pizza lunch.

The Uxbridge Brook watershed covers an area of 178 sq KM. From its headwaters in the Oak Ridges Moraine it flows north through Uxbridge passing under Brock St and through Wagners Lake, Udora, and Pefferlaw on its way north to Lake Simcoe.

Early Settlers in the Uxbridge area used this and other streams and rivers to supply power for lumber and grist mills. While some dams have been replaced over the years as flood control, remnants of some of the old dams still remain.

The headwaters of the brook have been identified by the Ministry of Natural Resources as an important cold water fishery source

Pre Registration is necessary at UxbridgeYouth Centre in person or call 95.862.3456

Alligator Pie and More - Wednesday March 14th 2:00pm to 3:00pm

For children in JK an SK - cost $3.50

This is an interactive session with poetry from Dennis Lee including "Jelly Belly" and "Garbage Delight". Music also with Jo-Jo the clown.

Pre Registration at the library with payment.

Baby Sitter Training Course

Spring Break is also a great time for those thinking of babysitting to take the Baby Sitter Training Course offered by the library on Thursday March15th 10:00am to 5:00pm Space is Limited and sign up is required in advance with payment of $75.00 at sign up

@ The Uxbridge Youth Centre

Ceramic Painting Workshop

Wednesday March 14th 1:00pm to 4:00pm with Cynthia Cupples

Paint your own bowl mug or travel mug with lid for yourself or as a great gift for a loved one

cost $10 to $20 depending on your choice of ceramics

@ Siloam Orchards

2012 Maple Syrup Festival

Opening March 12th 9:00am to 4:00pm through to march 18th

Come for pancakes and BBQ, maple syrup on the snow (if we have any snow left), self guided sugar bush hike, syrup making demonstration, ..... two and four litre containers of syrup will be available in limited supply, now taking reservations.

Siloam Orchards

More Maple Syrup Festivals around Ontario

@ The Roxy

Matinees all week

• Dr. Seuss' The Lorax - 1:15pm
• John Carter - 1:00pm

Other Spring Break activities include March Break Camps:

• March 12th - 26th - Junior Lifeguard Camp
• March 12th - 26th - Splash Camp
• March 12th - 26th - Sports Camp
• March 12th - 26th - Tour Camp
• March 12th - 26th - Winter Adventure

An Evening With The Renovating Chef

Former chef turned renovator Serge Lavoie was the chef who prepared a meal demonstrating healty food choices for a group of people attending The Markham Stouffville Hospital's Diabetes Open House in Uxbridge earlier this week.

The evening had several components that included a Zumba demonstration by local Zumba Instructor Nadia Torfs along with information on blood pressure and blood glucose screening, as well as foot screening and several draws for door prizes. The highlight for many was the Healthy Eating Demonstration by Chef Serge Lavoie. Chef Serg prepared a meal for us using a few of his favourite recipes. ..... Our Delicious meal consisted of: Appetizer - Hummus Main course - Salad Pork Tenderloin kabobs Quinoa Dessert Fruit Tray See the recipes below Barrie was the lucky winner of the Complete Canadian Diabetes Cookbook in one of the door prize draws.

Serge LavoieThe Renovating Chef Chef Serg has three loves in his life (in no particular order) cooking, renovating and his fiance. Contact Info Markham Stouffville Hospital's Uxbridge Diabetes Clinic 905.852.9771 ext 5260 Serge Lavoie 905.904.2868 Nadia Torfs Zumba Fitness ..... MAKE IT A GREAT DAY

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Hummus Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/4 cup of olive oil1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic

Preparation

• In a food processor, blend all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
• Serve immediately with pita chips, veggies or in a wrap.
• store in an airtight container for up to three days

Pork Tenderloin (servings 4-6)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pork tenderloins
• 3 tablespoons of dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons of black pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 a pond of button mushrooms
• bamboo skewers

Preparation

Cut the pork into ! 1/2 in pieces. Assemble kabobs by piercing a skewer through 1 whole button mushroom followed by 1 piece of pork, then green pepper then onion followed by another piece of pork ..... repeat until the skewer is filled and finish it off with a another button mushroom. place on flat surface and sprinkle as evenly as possible 1/2 of the seasoning over the the surface of the kabobs. Flip them over and repeat the process.

Place the skewers in the oven or on the grill - cook till the pork reaches a temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit.

Quinoa

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 a white cooking onion
• 1 medium sized carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 2 cups of chicken stalk
• 1 cup of quinoa

Preparation

Finely dice the carrots, celery and onion. Put in a pot and saute until onions are translucent. Add Quinoa and Chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stir then turn to a low heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Salad Dressing

Prep Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of olive oil (or your choice)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or your choice)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon of whit pepper
• note all vinaigrette's will have a ration of 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

Preparation

put all the ingredients into a blender or a container that can accommodate a hand blender. blend thoroughly for 3 to 4 min.

An Evening With The Renovating Chef