Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
I don't understand it?
The other day I sent a previous customer a discount on her next order as a thank you gift, and received a response asking me to remove her from my mailing list? She wasn't on a mailing list, she was just getting a one time discount offer in response to her satisfaction with her previous order.
Then today I decided I should get rid of the couple calendars I have left. Sure I could discount them and sell them off that way, but wouldn't it be more fun to give them away? So I spend the afternoon writing up a giveaway page on the website. I twitter it, direct message a few people I follow, post it in my yahoo group and blog it on my other blog. So far the only responses I have received were from:
1. A person the direct message got double sent to on twitter due to a traffic overload. The twitter gave me an error page telling me to try again, so I did. Apprently that made it double send.
2. A person asking me not to direct market them by sending them giveaways.
3. Someone who actually thanked me for letting them know.
So here's what I don't understand. How come if I want to give people discounts (that I can't even really afford to give with sales down due to the economy) and give away free items, how come I am either getting no response or complaints? Seriously, it's beyond me. Personally, I love discounts and freebies and even have a special folder for them in my yahoo mail. It makes me feel terrible. I never wanted to annoy people, and I'm not sure how I did? I have a very personable family run shop that isn't coming close to paying the bills at the moment, a husband that has been unempolyed for over a year, and yet I still think about how I can save others money and maybe brighten their day, and that is somehow a bad thing? Do people just assume it is like a big corporation who is just trying to milk every dollar they can out of everyone? The ones that give discounts just to make you buy things you don't want or need because you feel like you are getting a deal? Because that's not me. In fact, when I run specials I don't really see a big jump in my sales, probably because I have a much smaller customer base than big guns like Best Buy and Amazon. If anything, I have to work harder for the same amount of money or less. That doesn't really benefit me. But I do it for others. Which I guess is pointless, because it would seem no one takes it that way. It seems the harder I work, the more I think of others, and the more thoughtful I try to be, the less favorable response.
Maybe I'd be better off dropping my small town family run mentality and adopting a selfish corporation mentality. I am starting to feel like people would respect me more if I was just out to get their money instead of actually caring and being there when they need help or advice. But then I would just be going against my nature.
*sigh* just can't win.
Then today I decided I should get rid of the couple calendars I have left. Sure I could discount them and sell them off that way, but wouldn't it be more fun to give them away? So I spend the afternoon writing up a giveaway page on the website. I twitter it, direct message a few people I follow, post it in my yahoo group and blog it on my other blog. So far the only responses I have received were from:
1. A person the direct message got double sent to on twitter due to a traffic overload. The twitter gave me an error page telling me to try again, so I did. Apprently that made it double send.
2. A person asking me not to direct market them by sending them giveaways.
3. Someone who actually thanked me for letting them know.
So here's what I don't understand. How come if I want to give people discounts (that I can't even really afford to give with sales down due to the economy) and give away free items, how come I am either getting no response or complaints? Seriously, it's beyond me. Personally, I love discounts and freebies and even have a special folder for them in my yahoo mail. It makes me feel terrible. I never wanted to annoy people, and I'm not sure how I did? I have a very personable family run shop that isn't coming close to paying the bills at the moment, a husband that has been unempolyed for over a year, and yet I still think about how I can save others money and maybe brighten their day, and that is somehow a bad thing? Do people just assume it is like a big corporation who is just trying to milk every dollar they can out of everyone? The ones that give discounts just to make you buy things you don't want or need because you feel like you are getting a deal? Because that's not me. In fact, when I run specials I don't really see a big jump in my sales, probably because I have a much smaller customer base than big guns like Best Buy and Amazon. If anything, I have to work harder for the same amount of money or less. That doesn't really benefit me. But I do it for others. Which I guess is pointless, because it would seem no one takes it that way. It seems the harder I work, the more I think of others, and the more thoughtful I try to be, the less favorable response.
Maybe I'd be better off dropping my small town family run mentality and adopting a selfish corporation mentality. I am starting to feel like people would respect me more if I was just out to get their money instead of actually caring and being there when they need help or advice. But then I would just be going against my nature.
*sigh* just can't win.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Boycott ~ Chili's & Macaroni Grill
This was so terribly disturbing, I just had to share. I was reading an article on Spark People today about the worst foods of 2008. Some of these nutrition facts were beyond astounding! I post it here in the hopes that people will boycott these items (at minimum) or (hopefully!) be proactive in contacting these restaurants to let them know that this is unacceptable! The info below is taken from the (very informative!) ariticle on Spark People worst foods of 2008.
Chili's Texas Cheese Fries with Jalapeno Ranch dressing
Whose idea was cheese fries? They're delicious, sure, but really, did we need to top deep-fried potatoes with greasy melted cheese and bacon and dip them in dressed-up mayonnaise? No, we did not. Now they're a staple at chain restaurants, who try to one-up each other with signature ranch dressings, extra toppings and, ultimately, more fat.
Chili's boasts: "homestyle fries topped with melted cheese, jalapeños, applewood smoked bacon & jalapeño-ranch dipping sauce."These fries lost the contest for the worst cheese fries in America (that dishonor went to Outback Steakhouse's cheese fries), but it was a tight race.
One hundred and sixty grams of fat. One-six-zero. 160! (Oh, and you'll get 1 1/2 days' worth of sodium in one meal!)
2,070 calories
160 g fat
73 g saturated fat
73 g carbs
85 g protein
8 g fiber
3,730 mg sodium
I mean come on, is that really neccessary? Don't these places care about branding and repeat business? They aren't going to get it when all of their patrons have heart attacks!
Mad enough to do something about it? Then please A. Pass this article on and B. Write or call Chili's to let them know that you think this is ridiculous!
http://www.chilis.com/contact/comments_guestrelations.asp
1-800-983-4637, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central Time, excluding holidays.
Romano's Macaroni Grill Seared Sea Scallops salad
Why bother even calling this a salad? Could we ask restaurants to have a calorie and fat limit for the salad section? I'd like to be able to order salads without worrying I'm consuming an entire day's worth of protein and fat. Judging from the Macaroni Grill menu, it's impossible to create a salad with more than lettuce and dressing for under 500 calories. Macaroni Grill flunked the Men's Health restaurant review.
"Seared sea scallops, tender leaves of spinach, arugula, feta cheese, crispy prosciutto, toasted walnuts and Parmesan crisps with light citrus dressing."
Psst… vegetables and lean protein taste good. You don’t need to douse them in fat for us to eat them. (Don't you just love that it comes with a "light" citrus dressing? Nothing in this salad is light, judging from the nutritional info!)
1,270 calories
94 g fat
27 g saturated fat
2,740 mg sodium
42 g carbs
76 g protein
6 g fiber
Mad enough to do something about it? Then please A. Pass this article on and B. Write or call Macaroni Grill to let them know that you think this is ridiculous!
http://macaronigrill.com/LetsConnect/Feedback.aspx
1-800-983-4637 Monday through Friday 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Central Time.
I get it, really I do. Restaurants claim they wouldn't make these things if people didn't want them. But isn't that a chicken and egg scenerio? Don't people want them because they are available? I mean really, how many have times have you heard someone wish that restaurants would just create more 1200 calorie salads? Or burgers with enough saturated fat to last you 3 days? I don't know anyone they wants that, requests that, or even knows that is the case! Ok, chili cheese fries should be a no brainer maybe. But salad? I would have looked at that Macaroni Grill salad on the menu and have thought it was probably a decent choice. I guess I still have a lot to learn.
Don't let these restaurants make people junk food addicts! Stand up! You may not think your lone voice matters, but don't let it be your lone voice! Tell friends, families, post it on your social networking sites. Get the word out. If together we demand healthier choices, plus the removal of the worst health culprits, we CAN make a difference. Educate yourself and educate others. Don't let these places make us fat and unhealthy while we turn a blind eye.
Want to do more? Visit the Spark People article worst foods of 2008 for a list of more heart stopping, people killing foods. Contact and/or boycott these restaurants.
~Anyanka
http://www.thewitchescupboard.com/
Chili's Texas Cheese Fries with Jalapeno Ranch dressing
Whose idea was cheese fries? They're delicious, sure, but really, did we need to top deep-fried potatoes with greasy melted cheese and bacon and dip them in dressed-up mayonnaise? No, we did not. Now they're a staple at chain restaurants, who try to one-up each other with signature ranch dressings, extra toppings and, ultimately, more fat.
Chili's boasts: "homestyle fries topped with melted cheese, jalapeños, applewood smoked bacon & jalapeño-ranch dipping sauce."These fries lost the contest for the worst cheese fries in America (that dishonor went to Outback Steakhouse's cheese fries), but it was a tight race.
One hundred and sixty grams of fat. One-six-zero. 160! (Oh, and you'll get 1 1/2 days' worth of sodium in one meal!)
2,070 calories
160 g fat
73 g saturated fat
73 g carbs
85 g protein
8 g fiber
3,730 mg sodium
I mean come on, is that really neccessary? Don't these places care about branding and repeat business? They aren't going to get it when all of their patrons have heart attacks!
Mad enough to do something about it? Then please A. Pass this article on and B. Write or call Chili's to let them know that you think this is ridiculous!
http://www.chilis.com/contact/comments_guestrelations.asp
1-800-983-4637, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central Time, excluding holidays.
Romano's Macaroni Grill Seared Sea Scallops salad Why bother even calling this a salad? Could we ask restaurants to have a calorie and fat limit for the salad section? I'd like to be able to order salads without worrying I'm consuming an entire day's worth of protein and fat. Judging from the Macaroni Grill menu, it's impossible to create a salad with more than lettuce and dressing for under 500 calories. Macaroni Grill flunked the Men's Health restaurant review.
"Seared sea scallops, tender leaves of spinach, arugula, feta cheese, crispy prosciutto, toasted walnuts and Parmesan crisps with light citrus dressing."
Psst… vegetables and lean protein taste good. You don’t need to douse them in fat for us to eat them. (Don't you just love that it comes with a "light" citrus dressing? Nothing in this salad is light, judging from the nutritional info!)
1,270 calories
94 g fat
27 g saturated fat
2,740 mg sodium
42 g carbs
76 g protein
6 g fiber
Mad enough to do something about it? Then please A. Pass this article on and B. Write or call Macaroni Grill to let them know that you think this is ridiculous!
http://macaronigrill.com/LetsConnect/Feedback.aspx
1-800-983-4637 Monday through Friday 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Central Time.
I get it, really I do. Restaurants claim they wouldn't make these things if people didn't want them. But isn't that a chicken and egg scenerio? Don't people want them because they are available? I mean really, how many have times have you heard someone wish that restaurants would just create more 1200 calorie salads? Or burgers with enough saturated fat to last you 3 days? I don't know anyone they wants that, requests that, or even knows that is the case! Ok, chili cheese fries should be a no brainer maybe. But salad? I would have looked at that Macaroni Grill salad on the menu and have thought it was probably a decent choice. I guess I still have a lot to learn.
Don't let these restaurants make people junk food addicts! Stand up! You may not think your lone voice matters, but don't let it be your lone voice! Tell friends, families, post it on your social networking sites. Get the word out. If together we demand healthier choices, plus the removal of the worst health culprits, we CAN make a difference. Educate yourself and educate others. Don't let these places make us fat and unhealthy while we turn a blind eye.
Want to do more? Visit the Spark People article worst foods of 2008 for a list of more heart stopping, people killing foods. Contact and/or boycott these restaurants.
~Anyanka
http://www.thewitchescupboard.com/
Monday, January 12, 2009
Mercury Retrograde began
I must be out of it to have missed the Mercury Retrograde which began yesterday.
For those who do not already know, the Mercury Retrograde is when (from earth's perspective) Mercury appears to be moving backward through the Zodiac. Things done during this period often get confused, require more work, have to be done repeatedly, or unravel themselves.
Just a few reminders during the retrograde period. This is a bad time to start new projects, but a good time to finish up old ones. Also a good time to organize and plan for the future. Watch for possible miscommunications! Communication of all kinds can get scrambled and confused during the Retrograde.
This Retrograde started yesterday January 11th and continues through Sunday February 1st.
)O(
Anyanka
You can visit my website at http://www.thewitchescupboard.com
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Ah the joys of witchy books :)
I have been a busy little bee tonight! I sat down and listed 16 new books between the website and ebay. Actually, most of the ones on ebay are also on the website too and just now made their way onto ebay finally lol :)
The hardest part about listing books is I have trouble staying focused. I started flipping through it, then I start coveting, then I just want to ditch the whole thing and go read for awhile! Reading is one of the best things you can do. It helps you learn and grow. You discover new aspects of things you know, and you discover things that you didn't even realize you didn't know. All in all, it is one of the most important things you can do to further your personal and spiritual growth.
New books listed on ebay today:
New books listed on the website today:
Hopefully I will have time to get more listed tomorrow. Merry Part!
)O(
Anyanka
You can visit my website at http://www.thewitchescupboard.com
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Crone's books :)
Two of my favorite books :)
Crone's Book of Charms & Spells
Crone's Book of Magical Words
)O(
Anyanka
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Great new books for Yule gifts!
I have added some great new books today, and some I only have ONE copy of!
| Celtic Folklore Cooking by: Joanne Asala |
Celtic Tree Mysteries: Practical Druid Magic & Divination
Complete Book of Amulets and Talismans
| Practical Guide to Creative Visualization: Manifest Your Desires |
)O(
Anyanka
You can visit my website at http://www.thewitchescupboard.com
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