In order to replace the piano that is used to during worship services, the church we belong to, has been raising money for quite a while. So, after several fund raisers and private donations, we had collected enough money to buy a baby grand piano. To pick out the baby grand piano, several of the church members were selected. Because I am on the finance committee, I was one of the people that were to be involved in the shopping trip.
I had very limited knowledge of the baby grand piano. All I really knew was that the baby grand piano is smaller than a grand piano. I also knew that we did not have the money or space for the larger model. I made arrangements to meet my fellow parishioners to go on our shopping trip. The others involved included the choir director, the full time pianist and the minister’s wife. We have all known each other for many years so I thought the outing to purchase the baby grand piano would be a good time. Little did I know that we were in for an afternoon of disagreements and hard feelings.
I felt that the full time pianist should make the overall decision on which baby grand piano that we would purchase being she would be the one playing the instrument the majority of the time. However I also did not know that there would be so many models to choose from. When prices were looked into to begin the fund raising a mid range price was chosen. When we arrived at the piano showroom I was surprised to see that there was a baby grand piano that was half the price of the amount we had raised. We were told that this piano was used, but it had been completely reconditioned. It was actually a better brand and of higher quality than the newer model in our price range. I thought it made sense to purchase the used baby grand piano and use the remaining money to buy other things for our church. The minister’s wife agreed with me; however the pianist felt that people had donated towards a new piano and we should not buy a used one. I did not see why this would make a difference; the money that was raised was going towards the stated use. The choir director tried to remain neutral on the topic, which upset the pianist even more because the two of them are close friends.
The sales person that was trying to help us with our selection sat down to play the pianos so that we could hear the quality of tones. I do not have a background in music, but the quality of the used piano did sound better to me than the new model. The music director agreed and so did the minister’s wife so we purchased the used piano and made arrangements to have it delivered. The other members of the finance committee were very pleased that we had the additional money that we could use for the church. The only person not happy was the pianist. She refused to play the baby grand piano the first Sunday that it was used for our worship service. The minister is trying to help her deal with her feelings, but at this time she is still not talking to the music director.
If you have ever been to a bachelorette party, you know what goes on! This should be the time when you have absolutely the best fun before the big day arrives. Sure the wedding shower, rehearsal dinner, and all that shopping is fun too, but nothing competes with the bachelorette party and all those crazy bizarre bachelorette gifts. Everything from wild lingerie to sex toys is totally acceptable; if you don’t bring something a little outrageous you will be viewed as frigid and cast away from the party in disgrace! I’m just kidding of course, but this is a time for the bride to be to relish in all those outrageous bachelorette gifts that she can use in her transition as a married woman!
If you are going to be the hostess, you get to have fun first by checking out all the great party supplies available online. You can get help planning your party by checking out various websites like www.bachelorettesuperstore.com or www.bachelorette.com for all your party needs. Lots of different naughty themes to choose from, which are available separately or in party packs containing invitations, envelopes, paper plates, and napkins. These are all essential bachelorette party supplies and the naughtier the better. Don’t forget the naughty games like the classic ‘pin the tail on the fireman’, or party favors like ‘Dicklets’ or other penis shaped items. If you are attending the shower, you can shop online for great bachelorette gifts like blow up dolls, novelty items, honeymooner survival kits, fundies, hand cuffs, sex toys, and just about anything else you can think of. Just make sure your gift is all in fun and good natured; it doesn’t have to be in good taste, just sexy and humorous.
Since alcohol is usually associated with bachelorette parties, a bar or lounge is not a bad place to have the party. If there is a private party room available, you have a variety of options. The most popular of course is to invite a male stripper to approach and seduce the unsuspecting bachelorette and embarrass her to death in front of her friends and family (who may be embarrassed too!). The bachelorette must endure this before she can proceed with opening the bachelorette gifts. There is an unwritten rule about bachelorette parties having to be naughty enough to keep the bachelorette and all the guests laughing the rest of the night with all those nasty dirty fun little bachelorette gifts!
Many small businesses today realize the need of showing appreciation by providing client gifts. In the rush to produce quality work that meets with and exceeds client expectations, it's still important to take the time to think of ways to show clients that their business is appreciated. There are lots of stock items that are available. Some businesses are based solely around providing promotional gifts to companies who in turn can pass these items on to clients. However, the challenge comes is thinking of truly unique and personalized client gifts that really convey appreciation and stand out as novel, useful and demonstrate the time that was put in to selecting the gift.
Clients are used to being bombarded with lack-luster promotional items like pens, magnets and calendars. However, more forward-thinking companies are learning to go one step further by appealing the to individual interests of their clients. This can be conveyed by offering a variety of client gifts that demonstrate a personal interest in the client. Some examples of such gifts include tickets to a favorite sporting event (giving tickets that may be difficult to obtain or very costly), invitations to use private box seats at a variety of functions, providing gift certificates to popular restaurants or stores and even including clients in personal outings such as trips to the cottage, or to parties hosted on office premises or even held in homes. These sorts of client gifts up the ante and make your company stand out as original, thoughtful and willing to go the extra mile by showing a personal interest in clients.
In addition to personalizing client gifts, smart business owners will also show hospitality when clients visit their office space. Some nice gestures can include ordering lunch or brunch from a local favorite, offering home-baked goodies along with fresh brewed coffee, and by always remembering personal preferences such as a client favoring tea over coffee, any health problems that dictate a particular diet, or even remember a client's soft drink preferences. These personal touches go a long way as far as client appreciation goes and definitely keep your company top of mind for the future.
Taking the time to record and remember your client's personal information and preferences communicates to them that you are interested in them as people, and are not just looking to fleece them at every turn. This is how long-term client relationships are built and goes a long way in ensuring strong client relations, open lines of communication and positive business interaction.