Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Work Smarter NOT Harder: using auto-responders for hostess coaching

My mantra (all the time, every day!) is “Smarter not Harder”.  I pretty much just try to pay very close attention to what I avoid doing and why, and then I try to solve that barrier. I worked for a time management consulting company for many years as an administrative assistant, I learned a lot from all that stuff I typed!

That means that if it can be automated, streamlined or eliminated, I do it. If it is not a “business building activity” I try to avoid it. If it is something that has to be repeated (consistency and follow through are my arch nemesis) then I find a way to make technology my slave!   See the example below:

  • One of the things that was falling through the cracks was hostess coaching.  I had really good intentions about calling my hostesses.  I also have 2 small children at home during the day, and that number grows when school lets out! (Barrier: Me, my memory, time/quiet to call) 
  • So, I decided to use emails as my primary method of hostess coaching.  That worked pretty well, when I remembered to send them.  (Barriers: me, my memory, time to compose/send messages)
  • So next, I decided to save the messages in my "draft" folder, along with all the attachments so that they were ready to go.  That helped a lot, but I still had to remember to do it! (Barriers: me, my memory)
  •  I started using my "delay delivery" feature in my email (Microsoft Outlook).  This took me about 15 minutes to set up a series of emails to go out over the next 2 weeks.  This was working pretty well!  I disciplined myself to do this as part of my scheduling process: create party in workstation, create party on Facebook, mail hostess packet to hostess, email party info to hostess, schedule hostess coaching emails.  (Barriers: me)
Last month I promoted to Director with my company (originally posted 5/2013).  I’m prepping myself for even more BIG growth (especially in the area of team building and recruiting), and I knew that I HAD to have systems in place to support it or I would flop. I invested in iContact and have been working to build my auto-responder messages and systems so that I can become better at follow-up. It’s like having a personal assistant, but less expensive!

Now, that same series of hostess coaching emails takes me 30 seconds to launch.

Smarter.  Not.  Harder.


Noel Giger Independent Director Proud GLOW Girls Team Leader  469.583.4604








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