Lifestylist® Suzanne Felber Gets Social
Your Life. Your Style. Your Way.
Freebie Friday
May 4th
Summer is definitely here, and it’s heating up in Texas. I turn into a really lazy cook when it gets so hot, and we do the Lifestylist® version of a salad bar many evenings.
Everything gets prepped – even the kids help plate their favorite ingredients -then we put everything on the island and people make their own salads as big or small as they choose.
I’ve stopped buying the bagged lettuce and greens because they are expensive and taste like chemicals to me. With the OXO Salad Spinner you can easily use heads of lettuce, spin them and even serve them in the bowl of the spinner. The kids love to help, and it’s fast and easy for me.
To win won of these great products from OXO, go to the Lifestylist® Food blog and enter. there are 7 different ways you can get additional entries, and winner will be announced on May 11th.
Hope Dims For Best Buy
Mar 28th
Who knew a 1″ bulb could become such a great marketing and customer service lesson? After trying to deal with Best Buy for a month about a warranty issue I got so mad I gave up and discovered a wonderful locally owned shop that replaced my projector bulb and had me on my way in under 1/2 hour. You can read the long version of this saga on my Lifestylist® page -it still amazes me how I was treated by a company that should care more about it’s customers than Best Buy seems to.
Then today when I was getting all of my facts checked I went to the Best Buy Facebook page so I could quote other unhappy customers, and one of them had linked to a Forbes article about “Why Best Buy Is Going Out of Business Gradually“. They linked to a follow-up story that talked about how Best Buy handled different issues “The People Vs Best Buy Round Two” Sadly, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one that feels this way and they have even given lousy customer service to Larry Downes, a professor and best selling author.
I’ll never get back the time I’ve wasted on this, but I’m hoping that by sharing these experiences I can help my readers not make the same purchasing mistakes.
Best Buy: Choices and Voices
Mar 23rd
I just want to cry right now. When I bought a cool new projection TV awhile ago at Best Buy they talked me into the super-duper-fancy-deluxe Black Tie Extended Warranty because it would make my life soooo much easier. Everything is covered…. you’ve heard it. So when the bulb went out I wasn’t too worried because I bought the warranty. Surely that black tie service would have me watching my Real Housewives shows again in record time. I waited anxiously for the Geek Squad to pull up to my door… but they never came.
Well so much for reality. I’m sitting here today going on week 4 of this drama. They sent me the wrong part for ME to install not once, but twice. And they wanted to wait until I sent them the wrong part back before they sent me the right one! As you can see by the photos, what they sent isn’t even close – the real part is the smaller one. How they thought that monster bulb would fit in my projector that they had the serial number on is a mystery that will never be solved, but I’m thinking it’s because they are using parts that aren’t made by the manufacturer. In fact, it stated on the invoice that “customer accepts sub” which I never was asked or agreed to.
I wish I had transcripts of the conversations that have taken place because of this, but the emails are almost as insightful.
The first automated email you get after you have a problem and are mad enough that you write on Facebook says “We strive to provide as prompt a response as possible. A member of our team will do their best to assist you within up to 3-5 business days.” When someone is having a bad experience telling them to wait 3-5 days for them to contact you is like waving red in front of a charging bull – bad idea. What happened to the promises that were made when they sold me the extended warranty?
When I asked for a tracking number so I could be sure that a new replacement part was indeed shipped I got the following email from Allan – a Digital Imaging Expert at Best Buy Corporate:”I do not have access to any tracking numbers for this bulb. I do not work in our parts department, and all information I get on this would only be able to be acquired by contacting them. In my last communication with them I was informed that the part vendor was shipping the bulb to your home yesterday. This of course means you wouldn’t have received it yet. I have no idea how this bulb is shipping to you, and because of this I would not even be able to guess as to when you will receive this. If I was to guess I would say you should receive the bulb by early next week.” The bulb came today – 3 weeks after all of this started, and again it was the wrong bulb – the huge monster in the photo. Instead of Allan checking on things with the parts department, making sure it was the correct part and getting the tracking number he just dropped the ball and here I am (again) with the wrong part and no answers from Best Buy. I just waited on hold for the 4th time tonight trying to get this resolved and after waiting 30 minutes I give up. But my favorite part? In at least 3 of the emails they “thank me for my patience.”
As a Lifestylist® I always try to look at things like this as lessons learned. I guess it’s a good thing that this was my personal TV and not one I bought for a client. I had to order 3 televisions today alone for clients and I bet you know where I didn’t buy them! Consumers have two things more than ever these days – choices and voices. With social media and the internet anyone can go online and shop for something and share their experiences, and many people do.
I may now have a very expensive prop that I’ve given up ever getting fixed, but every time I look at it I’ll remember to share this customer experience story and why as a consumer you deserve better. It will also remind me how important it is to go the extra mile with my clients and make sure that they are not only happy with the work I provide but they refer me to their friends and family. Oh – and I will never have to “thank them for their patience” because I’ll exceed their expectations the first time.
The Lifestylist Brands
Mar 10th
One of the questions I always get asked is exactly what is a Lifestylist®, and what is unique about the Lifestylist® Lifestyle. The second most asked question is what makes me a Trailer Diva!
The Lifestylist philosophy is about “Life Celebrating Style”. Our clients life and style is what dictates how a Lifestylist® works with you. My favorite example is I had a client in Phoenix, Arizona that was a major Phoenix Suns fan, and their team colors are orange and purple. The client wanted their entire home done in these colors. What they wanted is what they got, complete with a child’s room with a hardwood floor striped like a basketball court. They wanted to stylishly celebrate their interests and love of their home team and we did!
I just spoke to a friend who’s dog just dug up their entire garden and her daughter slammed the door on the neighbor’s hand – all in about 30 minutes time. Her needs and lifestyle are completely different from my son – no kids, no dogs, and lives in front of his computer. What my style is wouldn’t work well for either of them which is why I need to understand the client and what their “hot buttons” are. It’s takes extra time and sleuthing to achieve this – many times the client has trouble putting into words exactly what they are looking for but they know it when they see it. I take the responsibility very seriously – a person’s environment can truly change their lives in a positive or negative way. If someone is happy in their home their quality of life improves.
Next to being a mother, becoming a Lifestylist® is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I’m looking forward to expanding the concept and what it offers in the years to come. – we will be launching a new food line this Spring!
Top Trends: Pinterest
Feb 19th
Once upon a time a company could have a website up – good or bad- and customers were happy. Not any more – with consumers using the internet as their main resource to find information on any and everything, it’s critical that you take advantage of the other social media outlets that are available. For the next week we are going to highlight some of our favorites, and today we are going to start with the fastest growing site out there – Pinterest.
Pinterest.com This is the fastest growing web trend – ever. They hit the 10 million U.S. monthly unique visitors faster than any independent site in history. With a growth of over 40 times in the last 6 months, if you aren’t on Pinterest you need to be. I’ve seen statistics state that 58% of the traffic to this site are women between the ages of 25 and 44, and 97% of Pinterests’ Facebook fans are women.
What is Pinterest? The official definition is “Think of Pinterest as a virtual pinboard — a place where you can create collections of things you love and “follow” collections created by people with great taste. People use Pinterest to collect and share all sorts of things — wedding inspiration, favorite T-shirts, DJ equipment. You name it, people are pinning it. We know you have great taste in something. Our mission is to make Pinterest the best place for you to share your taste with the world.”
People are flocking to Pinterest because it is a great resource of high quality lifestyle focused images, and it’s fast and easy. You design your own “boards” that you can add your images to or “pin” images that were posted by someone else or that you found online. I’ve discovered some of my favorite new recipes on Pinterest, and I’m also amazed by how many new viewers have discovered the Lifestylist® brand thanks to our page.We are definitely getting more subscribers on Pinterest than we are on our Facebook page which is a huge shift in how people are searching for us.
Something else that is unique about Pinterest is that it’s by invitation only right now, and you can join by asking for an invitation on the site or by receiving one from someone that is already active there. If you would like to receive an invitation so you can check out our Lifestylist boards just send us an email at: answers@lifestylist.com and we’ll send one your way!
Lifestylist Goals for 2012: Re-gifting
Jan 9th
As part of my Lifestylist® Goals for 2012, I finally started letting go of things that should have been tossed or recycled ages ago. One of the items I have a lot of is the soaps and bath products you get in hotels when you travel. With my schedule I’m in all different sizes and shapes of hotels with a vast range of complimentary items included.
Never one to waste something if I don’t have to, I always bring my own products when I travel but bring back the ones from the hotels and give them to some of my favorite charities. There are lots of shelters that desperately need these types of items for their short term residents – I knowthey are always going to good use and worth the trouble of bringing them home and sharing them.
So today was a great day – I gained a few new empty drawers and helped my community in the process!
What’s Mine is Not Yours: Intellectual Property
Jan 8th
Seth Godin is my guru. He is so no nonsense but funny at times, intellectual but down to earth, and what I really love about him is that he can get a point across faster than anyone else I know. His Purple Cow book started me on a new road to being more involved in marketing and social media so I’m forever grateful. When I worked on the Purple Cow House Campaign with Patriot Homes I made sure to get permission from Mr. Godin, and we credited him for the phrase (and gave out his Purple Cow Book).
Today I got a great post from him titled “Simple Thoughts About Fair Use“. So timely, and as always so well written. In this new blogging, social world I’m always stunned to see how many people are using other people’s photography, ads, brands, and stories without permission. This article is a must read for anyone who is even thinking about posting on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog and using someones text or images.
I’m fortunate enough to have access to a very talented photographer – Lisa Stewart of Lisa Stewart Photography. The images you see in my blogs, on my Lifestylist Design Facebook page and on my website have been shot specifically for my use. I do that so I’m not using other people’s work and having copyright infringements.
Lifestylist® is a term that I successfully trademarked in 2002 – my registration number is 2583235. I’m very proud of this because I thought I had a good idea and made the extra effort do “do the right thing” and spend the time, effort, and money to trademark it. You would be amazed at how much time I’ve had to spend since them protecting my mark because people haven’t bothered to do their homework and see that it’s trademarked before they use it in their own businesses.
Before you decide that you have discovered the next great phrase, or “borrow” a photo from someone else be sure to read Seth’s post. Wondering where to learn more about these topics? The US Patent and Trademark Office has a great site, and it is also where you can search trademark registrations and applications.
Social Media Lifestylist® Guidelines for 2012
Jan 1st
Happy New Year from the Lifestylist® family! I’m really excited about 2012, and the opportunities that come with it.
A lot of being a Lifestylist® is about being a trend tracker and doing research. Today I read something that was written by someone else titled “Social Media Lifestylist Guidelines for 2012″ – boy does that sound dull! The first thing that comes to mind is a big dusty manual full of rules and regulations, and that is exactly what social media (and being a Lifestylist®) is not about.
The tag line I have always used for my Lifestylist® brand is “It’s All About You”. I didn’t want the brand to be about me telling people what to do – I wanted to listen to people’s wants, needs, and dreams, and help them achieve those even when they didn’t know that’s what they were really searching for. I don’t want to dictate, I want to educate. I’ve learned that listening is so much more important than anything I will ever have to say, because sometimes if you let people express their thoughts they will find their answers.
Social media is such an exciting new frontier because it gives everyone the chance to tell their story to the universe. It’s become a great equalizer because almost anyone on any budget can get access to a computer and a free site and share their thoughts.
There’s a down side to this though as well -there’s not as much editing as we’ve seen in the past. We have to learn that even though someone may have written it, there is the possibility it might not be true. Before we share or depend on information we find we have to be sure and check the facts. As the guardian of the Lifestylist® trademark for almost 10 years now I’ve seen how many people want to tie into my brand but aren’t willing to go through the legal process to acquire a brand of their own.
So what are the real Lifestylist’s guidelines for 2012? Never call them guidelines, live your life to the fullest, listen to those around you and you can never laugh too much or have too much great food and wine!
Here’s to a boisterous 2012!
On Record With The Lifestylist®
Nov 28th
One of the questions I get asked the most is how I ever decided to become a Lifestylist®, and where did I get my training.
I’ve been called a storyteller many times and it’s an accurate assessment – I use my talents and materials to tell a story in a home. Hopefully this story explains to the potential homeowner why their lives would be better by living in this home, and what they can expect from the community, the builder, and from the experience. To tell the story, I collect thousands of items – old and new – that I incorporate into my LifeStyled homes.
This weekend I decided it was time to go through some of the things I’ve collected, and it’s been quite a trip down memory lane. I discovered a trunk I forgot about that had family photos from the early 1900′s that gave me a glimpse into my family history I hadn’t been aware of. Through this discovery I’m finding I come from a very artistic family full of risk takers. This ostrich photo with my great aunt will now always be one of my favorites.
It seems I’ve been in the media longer than I remembered for my decorating skills. My mother and both grandmothers were very talented in the design fields, and I was lucky enough to be nurtured and inspired by them. This article from 1969 shows me as a 13 yr old showing off some of my skills with my mother and sisters. Apparently I also had my own booth at the church bazaar selling paper flowers and copper enameled jewelry that I made. What’s funny is that after seeing this, I may have to try this again – it’s really a fun idea!
I’m honored to be a Lifestylist®, and I love having the opportunity to help others find their passions in life. This holiday season remember what makes you happy, and share that passion with your friends and family – you might even find a new career by doing it!