SMWGroup Archives - Sharon M Weinstein

January 30, 2021 By Sharon Weinstein

How to Host a Virtual Book Launch Party…vision to reality

Are You Ready to Reinvent Yourself? A Post-Pandemic Approach to Work/Life Balance was a vision on December 15th, 2020 that became a reality on January 28th, 2021! I had the content (in my head), the mindset, and the goal to complete the process and to make it shine! While my Launch Party would have been live, with cocktails, snacks, a book signing, and so much more, I needed to push my own “reset” and “repurpose” my ideas into something virtual.

My first stop was Google, where I reviewed ideas, past experiences, and failures. My second stop was YouTube, where I perused party ideas, virtual offerings, games, and so much more! My third stop was my own designer, computer, home office, and my talented family members; together, we created something incredibly special that far exceeded expectations.

Step One: Create branded graphics

For this step, I went to Kimb Williams, an extraordinary graphic designer who “reads” me. She created the front and back cover, promo materials for the book launch and party, banners for Facebook, and everything imaginable. I said balloons, and she delivered customized balloons! I said virtual background depicting a party, and she went to work creating templates that far exceeded my expectations! I created an invitational video, multiple social media posts, direct messaging, and email blasts.

Step Two: Pick a date/time

Chances are that you’ve already scheduled your launch; the party date is next. Make it a date/time of the week that works across timezones. Make it something that would be before dinner Pacific Time, and after an early dinner Eastern Time. With no carpool runs and other errands, everyone is fairly certain to be at home! I scheduled the party on Zoom and started promoting the event 10-12 days prior to the event. I asked those interested to respond, “I’m in” via text, messaging, or email. I also added a response button to each of my websites.

Step Three: Plan the schedule

I considered multiple ideas and settled on these key components to a successful launch party:

Consider pre-planted questions about your inspiration, your why your intended outcomes (I did not need them because I had the right mix of people at the party and they asked without prompting).
Prepare a story that will capture your audience’s attention and make them feel included; frame it well (This was easy for me; at another time in my life, I worked 100 hours per week/3 countries per week, and I found balance. I also used my nursing platform to reinvent myself multiple times in multiple states and roles).
Use visuals (I decided on a brief PowerPoint presentation with a built-in game
Ask someone to co-host or share the screen to keep things rolling smoothly, and to allow yourself to relax (I asked a family member to co-host; she also recreated the game on her own PC, added the names, branding, confetti, and applause while entertaining everyone)
Be sure to include “How to Order” in your slide deck and offer an explanation of both ordering and reviewing processes
Rehearse prior to the event with your tech team (family member or friend) to ensure that everything works well

Step Four: Invite your guests

I invited a broad group of potential guests, some of whom were unable to attend. I also opened it via social media to those with an interest, asking them to reach out to me. I created and used lots of hashtags to spur interest and curiosity. Trust me, the right people were in the right seats (in their own homes) at the right time). Everyone who responded favorably received a pdf copy of the book.

Step Four: Start and end strong

The internet connection was strong (a pre-requisite), the background was amazing (thanks to Kimb), and the Zoom room looked full with nearly everyone visible. Following my lead with a glass of sparkling white grape juice, the tone was set for reflection, reinvention, and fun! I extended warm welcomes and intros and then we shared the presentation. I had pre-selected a few segments to read aloud, and because we were virtual, I opted to add a few words to a slide and to share using that tool. The content included a favorite quote, a reason for Trusting the Process (Part 8), the intro to my story of Reinventing Yourself the Kellogg Way, and more. We then played Spinthewheel, identified an Amazon Giftcard Winner, and everyone was given a chance to add to the conversation. Through open networking, and my ability to draw each individual into the conversation, the party was a huge success.

Step Five: Celebrate success

I followed up immediately after the event with a personalized email message and an updated copy of the book. I recorded a thank-you video that was shared with each attendee. The video and the success story was posted on multiple social media outlets; since then, I’ve received great interest in the book, in my other releases, and in my work. Take advantage of my lessons learned; adapt what works for you to create your own Virtual Book Launch Party, and have fun!

March 24, 2019 By Sharon Weinstein

Are you a meeting planner with too much to do?

Achieving More by Doing Less…what meeting planners need to know-

Are you kidding me?
Is this even possible?
How can I make it happen?
When do I start?

Work-life or workday balance…what is it and why does it matter? Whose responsibility is it? As meeting planners and team players, we share the responsibility of implementing strategies to ensure work-life balance.

Annual conferences, regional meetings…they spell long days, long weeks, and the need to be on- all the time with multiple responsibilities pulling you in multiple directions! There is so much to do and so little time! How can you achieve more and do less?

Is all this a cliché or is it reality? In today’s environment, it certainly seems that it is indeed our reality – a reality of the times in which we live and our expansive scope of work. Balancing work and personal life can be a challenging task. Are you prepared for the challenge?

Is your performance impaired because you are out of balance? Are you caught up in the balancing act, unable to do it all and care only for others in your lives without caring for yourself? You are only as good as you are balanced! If you do not take the time for yourself – yes, even with the array of responsibilities pressuring you now – you will not be the best that you can be. That personal best includes you as parent, partner, friend, partner, professional, educator or event manager. That personal best is what will enable you to reach new heights in your career, to achieve your goals and to maintain your health.

It will start with a successful conference or meeting, allowing you to achieve more and do less, minus the stress. To learn about the five steps needed for balance, opt into https://smwgroupllc.com and receive the secret tool that will get you to, and through, that next meeting.

August 27, 2017 By Sharon Weinstein

SCORE!

And I scored! All 5s, that is, on a scale of 1-5 during 8 presentations in a two-week period! I knocked it out of the park, meeting and exceeding the expectations of my hosts, sponsors, and audiences. WOW – it felt great!

The thrill of the game
The drama of the goal
The sound of the bat
The thrill of the crowd
The standing ovation

Perhaps you have been there, when the Cubs won the World Series, when Simone Biles took home Olympic Gold, and when Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James have scored.

“To me, form is not about scoring runs but how you feel about your game. Sometimes the runs are not there, but you know you are batting well, and that is good form for me.” Gautam Gambhir

As an adult soccer player, I scored a magnificent goal that won the game and the trophy. In the process, I broke the metatarsals of my left foot, but I continued to play. When I learned to play golf 8 years ago, I scored a trophy as most-improved player in the 18-hole women’s league!

As speakers, trainers, facilitators, consultants – we are expected to SCORE a win for those who engaged us! We customize programs, give it our all, exceed expectations, excite the audience, offer a call to action, and get great reviews. To those who attend our sessions, embrace our content, employ our techniques, and follow us – thank you! As a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), I share your commitment to the process and the outcome!

We are professional speakers! Our goal (no pun-intended) is to score for you every time, at every event, and at any venue! I scored, and I enjoyed the thrill, the drama, the sound, and the standing ovation. WOW – it felt great; let me SCORE for your organization or event!

The win will be yours, simply for asking!

July 24, 2017 By Sharon Weinstein

What are your strengths?

What are your strengths? Within the workplace, you identify your strengths as communication skills, technology, people management, writing, leadership and more. What about within your life – how would you identify your strengths? When you update your LinkedIn profile, what changes do you make? Perhaps those changes address your workplace, your functions, your responsibilities. Think beyond your professional profile; think about yourself.

I encourage you to consider the following areas: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and intellectual.

The physical you requires good nutrition, appropriate weight, beneficial exercise and adequate rest.

The emotional you needs to give and receive forgiveness, love and compassion; needs to laugh and experience happiness; needs joyful relationships with yourself and others.

The mental you needs self-supportive attitudes, positive thoughts and viewpoints and a positive self-image.

The spiritual you requires inner calmness, openness to your creativity, and trust in your inner knowing.

The intellectual you requires fulfillment, personal development, and satisfying relationships.

It is mid-year, and perhaps it is time to realize your strengths and reach your potential.

Resolve to be the captain of your ship – your body/mind/spirit. A comfortable, healthy balance between your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects doesn’t happen accidentally. Someone has to be in charge, and that someone is always you. Sit back, recognize your strengths, and prepare to launch anew in mid-2017!

January 8, 2017 By Sharon Weinstein

Are You Managing Human Resources or Human Lives?

Do you want to be valued as a product or as a human being? Chances are that you have thought about this concept during an especially frustrating day at work, or after a long sequence of stressful experiences. Why does it matter? It matters because today, more than ever before, employees are feeling undervalued, less recognized, and overwhelmed. Employees are stressed, and at the core of much of this stress is the work environment. Within many industries, we have mastered the importance of a healing environment. How much attention do we give to lighting, lack of clutter, better views, privacy, HVAC, healthy plants, and art? Can the work environment be supportive and human-centered? Can it be less overwhelming?

Overwhelmed Employees

The concepts of work-life balance have been lost, thanks to a proliferation of technology and the breakdown in barriers between work and life. When your work life and personal life blend together under the guise of “multi-tasking,” both suffer. When you are at work, focus on the job to be done. When you are finished with work, don’t bring it home with you. Make time for your personal life. If your work materials are dispersed throughout nearly every room of your house, you have no place for a real retreat. You’re not spending high-quality time with friends or family members if you’re talking on your cell phone or checking your e-mail when you’re with family. The sheer complexity of our lives creates internal distress and can wreak havoc on our bodies. And, we do it in the name of being the ‘loyal employee’ also known as ‘human capital.’ It has become so intense that the focus on human capital management (HCM) has intensified.

Human Capital Management: the new HR

HCM is an approach to employee staffing that perceives people as assets whose current value can be measured and whose future value can be enhanced through investment. Have you given much thought to investing in your people, because according to master people manager, Sam Walton, “The way management treats associates is exactly how the associates will treat the customers.”

Think about HCM as a responsibility for attracting, developing and managing the firm’s biggest asset: people. Are you managing human capital/resources or human lives in your organization? An organization that supports HCM provides employees with clearly defined and consistently communicated performance expectations. Managers are responsible for rating, rewarding, and holding employees accountable for achieving specific business goals, creating innovation and supporting improvement. An organization that supports and manages human lives puts its people first and creates an experience for them. Let’s talk about your own expectations!

Expectation or Experience

Chances are that at one time you were an ‘employee.’ As an employee, did you want a job or an experience? And, if it was the job you were after, which by the way is often referred to as ‘just over broke,’ did it meet your expectations? Did you feel recognized, valued, appreciated, and were you a part of the team?

If it was the experience you were after, perhaps you joined an organization like Apple, where every day is just that – an experience! Steve Jobs, Apple’s founder, was famous for this statement, “For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? And whenever the answer had been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I knew I need to change something.”

Today’s human resources departments are so much more than a single representative, handling claims and pushing papers. Today’s human resources departments may be known as ‘Capital Management, or ‘Talent Management.’ And while much of today’s workforce is highly talented, is that talented pool taking up space or actually engaged in the work process? Nearly 40% of the US workforce now works part time. Baby boomers who lost their jobs are often out of work for 18-24 months. Millennials want more creative jobs and they want to work for startups (or for themselves). And everyone wants work to be easier, less punishing, and more meaningful. Yes, everyone, including you, wants something, and often that ‘something’ is to be valued as a person, and treated with respect.

Managing Lives

How do we define the relationship between employers and employees? How do we view the dedicated employee? If we follow the Sam Walton model, we know that how we treat the employee is how the employee will treat the customer or client. For years, in marketing programs across the country, we studied our internal and external customers. We knew that we had to add value to our internal customers if we wanted to succeed.

To start the process: