In this Issue:

JULY 25 PARO Leads & Links @ Willow Springs

Fueling Connections

The Business Accelerator

PARO Programs

Connecting You to a Fit & Healthy Lifestyle

Clearly Written

Community Notes & Events

 

Wednesday, July 25th - PARO Leads & Links  @Willow Springs

For directions click here.

 

Fueling Connections

We would love to meet with you to provide any assistance that we can:  to learn more about you and to share information about PARO and our programs. 

On August 7, 8 and 9, the PARO on Wheels team will be visiting Kenora, Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Ignace.    

The team will be in Kenora  on Tuesday, August 7.  They will be hosting meeting with clients in the afternoon and evening for one-on-ones.   In the evening they will be at the LOWBIC office hosting a focus group with Siobhan O’Leary, a Masters Student from the University of Guelph .  She will be hosting a focus group and conducting surveys to determine how transportation affects the lives of women living in Northern Ontario .  

The team will then travel to Dryden on Wednesday, August 8 and will be meeting with women there.  They will also be holding a focus group and conducting surveys with women at the PACE office. 

They will be departing from Dryden and arriving in Sioux Lookout on Wednesday afternoon for appointments and focus group there in the late afternoon and evening. 

 

Thursday August 9, will see the team depart from Sioux Lookout and head to Ignace for appointments and then home to Thunder Bay . 

Traveling with the team this trip will be:

Anke Starratt, PARO on Wheels Team paroonwheels@paro.ca  

Laura MacIver, Regional Development Coordinator, NOW Program outreach@paro.ca

Siobhan O’Leary, Masters Student, University of Guelph .   

To set up appointments or learn more, please contact our team through the emails listed above or telephone the office at 807-625-0328

More on the Focus Groups and Surveys with Siobhan O’Leary

The purpose of this research is to understand how transportation affects the workforce participation of women living in small communities in Northern Ontario . The project will investigate the transportation problems that women living in rural areas in northern Ontario experience in getting to work, to training and skills development opportunities and to services in general.  

 

PARO Peer Lending Circles

Are you interested in opportunities to meet with other fantastic women?  

Are you looking for opportunities to learn and share business knowledge, to access a variety of perspectives and experiences? 

Peer support, mentoring and encouragement are among the many things that women can gain from being members of PARO’s Peer Circles! 

PARO Peer Circles are groups of 4-7 women who are in business, are prospective entrepreneurs, or believe in women helping women. Circle members are also able to access PARO’s peer lending program for small business loans. 

If you would like to learn more about PARO ’s Peer Lending Circles, please contact Pam at now@paro.ca.

Pam and Laura M have started calling Circle Members to update the information that we have in our database about the members and the circles.  Please be patient with us as we make our way through the list. 

We have begun planning our big fall potluck circle networking extravaganza for September.  Keep checking the PARO Link for more information.  

Women’s Economic Development Conference Planning Survey

PARO and conference partners aim to advance women’s economic opportunities through a Women’s Economic Development Conference that will be held in Thunder Bay on April 29 and 30, 2008.

This project will positively contribute to building sustainable community economic development in Northern Ontario through providing information and resources while building on women’s experience.

Your completion of this survey will help us meet these goals.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=TMlbj1ZbwYj5T4gWZFL0wg_3d_3d

 

July 25 Leads and Links is being planned right now!  It will be hosted by Willow Springs at their store and studio at 10160 Mapleward Road in Kaministiquia.  Driving directions can be found by following this link:  http://www.willowsprings.ca/contact_us.htm

We have not completely firmed up the details yet, but be assured that the session will be fantastic!  Look for more information next week’s PARO Link! 

We are asking that people pre-register for this event so that we have enough materials for everyone.  We will be providing transportation for some in the PARO Van, but space is limited.  Please contact Maria to pre-register or to arrange transportation.  Maria at 625-0328 or ProgramAdministrator@paro.ca

PARO Leads & Links are held the fourth Wednesday of every month, from 5-7PM, and offer networking and learning opportunities, as well as great advertising opportunities for your business with display booths available at each event.  To find out more about how you can promote and showcase your business, product, or service at PARO Leads & Links, or call Maria at 625-0328 or ProgramAdministrator@paro.ca

More Resources for You  

www.onlinevolunteering.org                                           

The United Nations Online Volunteering Service is a wonderful resource for those of us who are seeking ways to make a difference internationally but who are unable to travel extensively.   

The Online Volunteering service connects development organizations and volunteers over the Internet and supports their effective online collaboration. It is a free service for development organizations and individuals worldwide.

"Online Volunteering for Development" gives development organizations access to a broader pool of expertise, skills, ideas, and contacts to enhance their capacities and strengthen their activities so that they are in a better position to help achieve the MDGs. It gives individuals worldwide the opportunity to actively contribute as volunteers to sustainable human development.

What can online volunteers do?  Online volunteers engage in a diversity of activities delivered via the Internet. By sharing their expertise and skills, they enhance the capacities of their host organizations. They provide technical expertise and tools, support project and resources management, contribute to knowledge development and management, as well as facilitate communication and networking. 

   

Don't make going to the park with your kids a spectator sport. Get involved!

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070716/active_park_070716/20070716/

   

There are people on the internet that are waiting to take advantage of you! 

http://www.rcmp.ca/scams/canadian_practical_guide_e.htm

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is particularly true in the case of crime prevention through education and awareness. This guide, the Canadian Practical Guide, is a prevention tool. It builds on its successful predecessor, the Student Practical Guide.

Whether on-line, in person, or by any other means, the criminal activities described in this guide will almost certainly have affected you or someone you know. All Canadians should be aware of the need to protect their personal information and ensure their identity and finances are not compromised. The wealth of information in the following guide will assist Canadians to protect themselves and their personal information.

   

        

 

 

The Business Accelerator

Principles Of Professional Salesmanship

By Jonathan Farrington

Always Sell To People

• People are different

• No two sales are the same

• Aim at becoming a people expert

• Professional salespeople actually like people

• People buy from people - they always will


You Have To Sell Yourself

• Be interesting

• Develop ‘intellect’

• Never be arrogant - never talk ‘up’ or ‘down’

• Respect the buyer and they will respect you

• Develop your empathy levels

• Learn to develop rapport

• Control your ego levels


You Must Ask Questions And Listen To The Answers

• Develop your questioning techniques

• Remember What? Where? When? Which? Why? Who? And How?

• Continually ‘test your understanding’

• Listen to understand

• God has given us two ears and one mouth, we should use them in that order

• Successful sales professionals talk for 20% of the time and listen for 80% of the time

• Develop your active listening skills

Features Must Be Linked To Benefits

Remember:

• Features are common - benefits are personal and specific

• Use the ‘link phrases’ - ‘which means that......’

• Be specific

• Sell The Results – ‘Paint A Picture’

• Discover ‘prime desires’

• Personalize benefits

• Describe end results

• You Cannot Rely On Logic

• 84% of all buying decisions are based upon emotion - not logic

• What are the chief buying emotions? - Ego - Security - Pride Of Ownership - Greed - Health - Prestige – Status - Ambition - Fear Of Loss

Aim To Be Unique – ‘Me First’ Rather Than ‘Me Too’

• Every business, every company, every product has something that is unique

• Look outside the square

• Identify the uniqueness of: - your product - your service - your company - yourself

• Buyers buy solutions and results they do not buy products or services


Don’t Sell On Price

• It is a ‘cop out’

• Value your expertise - your products - your service and price accordingly

• Always keep the ‘bottom line’ firmly in your mind

• Anyone can give business away

• Selling on price means we do not need sales people

And Finally: Be Professional At all Times

• The greatest compliment a customer can pay you is to describe you as “professional”

• Don’t worry about being liked –be respected.

• Being professional is not one thing it is three:

• It is what you do, what you say and how you present yourself,

“When I see a bird that swims like a duck, sounds like a duck and looks like a duck; then I call that bird, a duck” Rudyard Kipling

 

The Business Accelerator Program at PARO Centre offers 
Incubator Office Space for Rent!    
Contact Suzanne @ 625-0328 for more information.

 

PARO’s advanced Business Accelerator program provides a flexibility of workshops, mentoring, business counseling, web and tele-classes to women who are already established in their businesses but want to ‘grow a little or shift a lot’. This program builds knowledge, skills, capacity, confidence and resilience as a business owner, and each participant’s program is specially tailored to suit their needs. Contact accelerator@paro.ca to find out how the program can benefit your business.

PARO's Accelerator project has been supported with a grant from the Canadian Women's Foundation Economic Development Collaborative Fund, a partnership of the Canadian Women's Foundation, CIBC, The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation, The Ontario Trillium Foundation and an Anonymous donor.

This project is supported by Industry Canada / Fednor.              

Biz and Bagel

Biz and Bagel returns Monday, September 10, 2007

If you are in the region and would like to join us, we have limited spaces available through teleconference.  Please contact Joni @ jsharkey@paro.ca or 1-800-584-0252.


This program is funded by the Government of Canada

    

 

 

Business Development Programs

Are you a Woman with a Disability?
Dissatisfied With Your Work?

Want to Become Self-Employed?

Are you a woman contemplating going into business but do not know where to start?

For more info, please call Joni at 625.0328 or 1.800.584.0252

Start Your Business Today. Let us help you!

Join the Making A Difference: A Business Development Program

Funded by:

The support of Government of Ontario through the Ontario Women's Directorate, the Ministry of

Citizenship and Immigration is acknowledged





PARO Self-Employment Benefit Program

PARO's GATEWAY: A Path to Self-Employment

On EI now or in the last 3 years, or had Maternity benefits in the last 5 years?

Register Today!!

Click here for more information

This program is funded by the Government of Canada



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Do you have a computer? Can you surf the internet easily? Why not try our new Pilot project...
PARO On-line.

 

Connecting You to a Fit & Healthy Lifestyle

Do you keep waiting for the moment, day, week, month, or year for exercise to seem desirable? What are you waiting for? You don't debate about whether to brush your teeth at night, or about buying and maintaining car insurance, or whether you should pay the household bills on a regular basis. You handle all kinds of 'undesirable' tasks on an ongoing basis, as needed, without a whole lot of thought.

Why is exercise any different?

Quit waiting for the magic moment to arrive when exercise sounds like a joyful, exciting, “just-what-I-wanted to do” activity. As adults, we all have plenty of unexciting, somewhat mundane activities we have to handle on an ongoing basis. Why not add exercise to the list? Make a goal to exercise most days of the week, and then stick to it. Don't ever go more than three days in a row without exercising. Schedule exercise like you would you bill paying and that way, exercise becomes part of your routine, not a choice.

I can't promise that treating exercise as a fact of life will make you love it, but I am pretty sure that you'll feel good about yourself, and have a sense of accomplishment, whenever you finish even a short 20 minute walk.

Make it part of your daily routine!! Get up and get going and you may find that you have days where you look forward to your time in the gym, or where you find that you've actually enjoyed getting a bit of exercise.

 
Deb

Deb Coulis - Lifestyle Coach
Coulis Connection

www.coulisconnection.com
Ph:   807-935-2484
Cell: 807-628-2408

 

Clearly Written

BUSINESS LETTERS CAN BE ‘SEXY’ (Continued)

In my last two columns, I discussed the myths that prevented business owners from using business letters to their full potential and the actual importance of using business letters to one’s advantage.  

So, what constitutes a skillfully-crafted, highly-effective sales letter?

Key Aspects of Effective Sales Letters:

·        Focus on the requirements, wants, hopes, dreams, and wishes of your prospective customers or clients or appeal to their feelings!  In this area, there has been a change in letter-writing.  Members of the old school of letter writers wrote from their own perspectives.  In contrast, members of the new school keep their own interests in the background.  In effect, put yourself in your reader’s place.  The key is to focus entirely on the customer.  Remember that customers are fixated on their own well-being, not yours.  They ask only ‘What is in it for me’.  

o       As a result, it is important to use the word ‘you’ often.

o       In addition, stress the service element; this helps customers to recognize you are concerned about them, not just the profit motive.  In fact, since your business does provide products and/or services you consider worthwhile, it is natural that you would want to educate the public about the benefits of those products and/or services.

o       Such a focus requires a thorough analysis of the audience.  Such an analysis will help you to tailor your purpose to your prospective audience.  In effect, your audience will determine the context, approach, and tone of the letter.  You can also adapt your message to your audience.  More specifically, write at the knowledge level of your audience.  For example, avoid accountants’ jargon, unless you are writing to accountants. 

·        Always write to someone specific.  As you construct the letter, focus on a particular individual.  This will cause you to write more personable, gracious, and authentic letters.

(To be continued)

   

Writing Tip  

Misplaced Modifiers (continued):  

Limiting modifiers are words that set limits to certain words or conditions.  They include words such as almost, even, exactly, hardly, just, merely, nearly, not, only, scarcely, and simply.  To prevent confusion, limiting modifiers must be placed immediately before the words they modify.

For example:

Unclear: They only met each other during vacations.

This sentence is unclear because it could mean they met only each other during vacations or it could mean they met each other only during vacations.

Clear: They met only each other during vacations.

Clear: They met each other only during vacations.

(See Jane E. Aaron and Elaine Bander, The Little, Brown Essential Handbook for Writers, (Don Mills: Addison Wesley Longman Ltd., 1999), p. 46.)

If you are puzzled about which word is being modified, check the way the modifier sounds with each noun.

For example:

a.      Pamela gave almost $100 to the Salvation Army.

b.      Pamela almost gave $100 to the Salvation Army.

Note the difference in meaning.

(See “Placement of limiting modifiers -- introduction”, The Penguin Handbook, Pearson Longman Companion Website, 2007, Available at http://wps.ablongman.com/long_faigley_penguinhb_1/0,7325,506360-,00.html.)

Learn a New Word  

Raffish: adjective: (pronounced raf-ish)

1.      mildly or sometimes engagingly disreputable or non-conformist; carefree or fun-loving unconventionality; rakish

2.      gaudily vulgar or cheap; tawdry  

For example:  Laura considered it raffish behaviour to bare one’s midriff.

Raffish comes from the Middle English word raff; meaning "people", usually of the lower sort (1673), and probably from rif and raf (1338), meaning "everyone".  It came originally from French or Middle Dutch, and it is also probably related to the Swedish word rafs, meaning "rubbish" (see riff raff).  (See Dictionary.com)

It is the aim of this column to address the issues of the importance of good writing to the success of business, correct grammar, proper punctuation, and the writing of business letters, cover letters, proposals, resumes, brochures, faxes, e-mails, and memos.  I invite readers to submit questions related to writing; send your questions to clearly_written@hotmail.com. 

Marina

Articles are contributed by Marina Robinson, owner of Clearly Written, which offers proofreading, editing, critiquing, and research services.

  

Community Notes & Events

Free Saturday Wellness Mornings

Saturday, July 21st,  9:30am - 10:30am 

 Marina McEachern is a Qi Gong and Yoga instructor who specializes in
 working with people with injuries and chronic pain.

Everyone is welcome and no experience is necessary !

As part of the Neighbourhood Strategic Plan in the Simpson Ogden Neighbourhood, the Evergreen Health Committee is hosting Saturday Wellness Mornings in Minnesota Park throughout July and August.

These will be free, one hour classes outside in Minnesota Park from  9:30 - 10:30 a.m. taught by qualified instructors.

Below is a link to a map showing Minnesota Park - it's sandwiched between Minnesota St and Spring St. across the street from  the Polish Hall, near Simpson and Pacific.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Polish+Hall,+Thunder+Bay

 

                                                             

 Plein Air Festival - Call for Artists

Artists create original artwork on location in the watershed from August 13-17.  A public show and sale is held August 18-19 at Hazelwood Lake Centre.

For more information contact:
 Lakehead Region Conservation Authority

http://www.lakeheadca.com/graphics/PleinAirApplication.pdf