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Accounting for small businesses
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06 February 2012
Generating leads, tequila and free butterscotch muffins
Ran
a training session this week on a specific sales
technique: generating leads by achieving referrals.
Some businesses don’t need to advertise, all their
business comes by word of mouth, but even so, everyone
likes a new client. The session went well, with four
hot leads in the bag by the end of the morning – but,
apparently, the part of the day they liked the most was
my home-made banana and butterscotch mini muffins. So
it looks like I’ll be baking prior to future sessions…
this particular client has already put in a request for
chocolate chip next week.
Friday was a madly busy day, chasing all over London.
After a meeting with a south London branding company in
the morning I met Joan for lunch in Farringdon. We
don’t get to see each other often, since she flew away
on Coconut Airways, but we always try to catch up when
she’s back in the London buzz. For those of you who
didn’t know me at 18, Joan was my first boss and,
outside of my mum and the other amazing women in my
family, my first role model. She probably shaped me
into the woman I am today – certainly with regard to
work ethic, attention to detail, and how to flirt your
way through a negotiation.
We
spent five years laughing as we shopped for beautiful
things to put in the stores, often working 12 or 14 hour
days. But we also found plenty of time to have fun. We
lunched at Langans, dressed up for dinners at St
Katherine’s Dock and went to the opening night of Les
Mis (Bro-Lo likes this). And one more important thing…
Joan introduced me to Margaritas. I remember the night
like it was yesterday. It was a miserable, drizzly W1
evening and we’d been working really late selecting
jewellery and silk sarongs for the next season’s range.
I think I’d had a row with my boyfriend or something,
and obviously looked like I needed cheering up – so Joan
plonked this massive fuchsia straw hat on my head - it
was a sample that had arrived from the Philippines that
day; she had a turquoise one – and we marched down
Oxford Street in the rain to Peppermint Park where we
got sloshed on frozen tequila and lime until closing
time. And then, of course, I was hooked! So I guess
Joan was inspirational in more ways than one… But
seriously, she has been a wonderful friend and mentor
for more years than I care to admit. Do you ever stop
to think about the people who have inspired you? Take a
moment while you’re munching your way through a
blueberry muffin to recognise that we’re where we are
today through a chain of events: choices, chance
meetings, coincidences and circumstances – sometimes
beyond our control. (I do love a bit of alliteration.)
We’ve all got to where life’s taken us, I hope you’ve
enjoyed your journey so far as much as I’ve enjoyed
mine.
So
anyway, if you fancy a training session with free
muffins thrown in,
email me! As the hot lady said, 'Someone left
the cake out in the rain, I don’t think that I can take
it, cause it took so long to bake it, and I’ll never
have that recipe again…' Well I can take it. And I’ll
always have the right recipe for you. Just ask for it:
@WeekendWitch
Cocktails with Gill one or two years
ago...
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