December 2020
305-916-6110 www.metalmastershop.com FROM THE ROOFTOP
5 WAYS TO BRING YOUR OFFICE TOGETHER FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITHOUT RISKING ILLNESS
doesn’t work well for big teams — it’s best if everyone can fit on one Zoom screen. 2. ARRANGE ARECIPE SWAP. If you can’t have a bake-off in person, encourage your team members to submit their favorite holiday recipes in a group chat, then share photos of anything they make! Everyone needs to eat, pandemic or no pandemic, and holiday dishes are always crowd pleasers. 3. COLLABORATE ON A HOLIDAY PLAYLIST. Some people hate Christmas music, but there’s no doubt that it sets the mood. You can create camaraderie with your team by inviting everyone to submit their favorite holiday songs and then build a company playlist on Spotify or YouTube for your whole crew to enjoy. 4. ORGANIZE AVIRTUAL SECRET SANTA. Did you know that there’s a free online Secret Santa generator that can round up your team, draw names, and even host a wish list? It’s called Elfster.com, and it could be a lifesaver for you this season. 5. HOSTA LONG-DISTANCE MOVIE NIGHT. Thanks to platforms like Kast and Kosmi, you can invite your whole office to a movie night in the comfort of their own homes. Kast, for example, will let up to 100 people watch a film simultaneously. Additionally, both services work with any streaming platform, so the world of classic Christmas movies is your oyster! If you want to get fancy, send out a selection of popcorn to your employees ahead of time. I got some of these ideas from OfficeNinjas.com, and it’s a great resource if you’re looking for more tips! I hope that whatever option you choose, you make sure to do something with your team this year. We could all use a bit more cheer in our lives right now. Wishing you happy holidays,
Do you have a plan for how to bring your company together for the holidays? For the last few months, I’ve been mulling over the best way to celebrate the season with my team. In a normal year, I wouldn’t stress out about this. There are all kinds of tried-and-true team activities out there, like ugly sweater contests, cookie bake-offs, and company dinners at local restaurants. We’ve done these before, and I always feel like it brings us closer as a team and as friends. This year, though, I don’t think getting together physically will be a popular idea. Some of my employees have high-risk family members at home, and the last thing any of us want is to be stuck in quarantine for Christmas. At the same time, I don’t want to miss a prime opportunity to build camaraderie over the holidays — something that’s both more important and harder to come by than ever right now. Studies show that a “sense of belonging” in the workplace (something I like to build with Christmas cookies!) can help people stick together in a crisis and even increase company revenue. According to the Harvard Business Review, one BetterUp study found that, "High belonging was linked to a whopping 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days.” What employer doesn’t want that? Unfortunately, recent research has also found that the pandemic is negatively impacting workplace culture nationwide. So, what’s an entrepreneur to do? I decided to buckle down and find a way to celebrate the holidays with my team virtually. Here are five great team-building options I came across. Feel free to steal one for your own Christmas celebration! 1. PARTY IT UP OVER ZOOM. This is the most obvious option: a straight-up Zoom party that’s all play and no work. Team members can compete to create the best holiday Zoom background and try on funny filters together. If you want to be really generous, you might even consider sending out grocery store gift cards or snack baskets so that your team can enjoy company- funded treats. The downside of this option is that it
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THE 2 BIGGEST MISTAKES YOU CAN MAKE WHEN SETTING SALES GOALS FOR 2021
MISTAKE NO. 2: FAILING TO PLAN PROPERLY
Regardless of how 2020 treated your business, 2021 is fast approaching, and this past year is about to become a closed chapter. It’s time to examine both the bad and the good that happened in 2020 and set tangible sales goals for 2021. Just be sure you don’t fall into these two traps.
You will not accomplish the goals you’ve set for yourself and your team if you don’t provide the steps to get there. Pull information from industry leaders as well as your sales team, workers on the floor, and marketing managers. Your employees have valuable viewpoints on your business, while outside forces shift your view from internal to external. With this combined information, hash out a plan with your sales team. Don’t leave the Zoom meeting until you have tangible steps in place. A plan is only as good as its execution, and when there’s no opportunity to prepare, it will undoubtedly fail. Your quarterly and yearly sales goals for 2021 should be set now so that your team has ample time to prepare. This will allow for additional training or discussions about proper tactics and strategies for marketing and selling your business to targeted customers.
MISTAKE NO. 1: MAKING YOUR GOALS UNREALISTIC
Setting an unrealistic goal for each quarter is sure to lead to failure. The trick is to push the limits of what has been done without settling on a number that is completely unachievable. Remember, if your team begins to exceed expectations, you can adjust and increase your goal! It’s far better to overachieve than to underperform. Finding that perfect goal number means that sales leaders will have to sort through a lot of data. Rely on both external and internal data to develop an understanding of the sales outlook for 2021. What do the 2020 numbers forecast for your business? What kinds of services or products are the most popular? What’s the forecast of the economy or your industry? These questions can guide you as you set your goals.
Before you know it, 2020 will be in the past. Don’t forget to make tangible sales goals and a plan for 2021 before it’s too late.
Testimonials From Happy Customers WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING
"The staff here was IMPRESSIVE. They returned calls and emails, and were beyond helpful. This was my first time installing a metal roof. They were able to get me through it with no hitches. THANK YOU. Look forward to doing business with METAL MASTER SHOP in the future." –Ian T. "I will never go anywhere else for any of my metal needs. James and the staff at Metal Master Shop go above and beyond to meet my expectations. The staff there is very helpful and professional. I highly recommend this establishment." –Steven M.
"Very unseen in Miami to find polite people willing to take the time to explain and assist customers. Great and fast service — will highly recommend." –Dennis F. We want to express our gratitude to all of our wonderful customers and our hardworking staff during this holiday season! Thank you for everything you do!
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HOLIDAY HACKS FOR THE BUSY PROFESSIONAL
4 TIPS FOR A LESS EXHAUSTING HOLIDAY SEASON
and work your way out. Give everyone a task: Someone does the grocery shopping. Someone is in charge of a main course dish. Another is on side-dish duty. Others get dessert. Don't forget to assign a clean-up crew. Save yourself for the tasks you REALLY want to do. TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS. When you have a lot going on, frequent 5–10 minute minibreaks can go a long way in easing the mental pressure. Don’t hesitate to take brain breaks throughout the day. Go for a quick walk around the building or neighborhood. Read a chapter of your book. Play a quick game on your phone. SAY NO TO THE KITCHEN. When your time is precious, why spend a lot of time in the kitchen? While some find cooking a joy, others find it burdensome. If you’re in the latter group, it’s okay to go the boxed or prepared meal route when time is short. Boxed meals can still be prepared with love, and you can get high-quality frozen dishes or freshly prepared meals from your favorite grocery store. The time and energy you save is worth the investment. In 2020, we have more options than ever to make life easier. So, enjoy the holidays a little more by doing the things you love and using these tips to make the most of your time and energy this season.
The holidays are an incredibly busy time of year. Between work and home, it can feel like there isn’t enough daylight to get everything done. We have projects to complete, emails to answer, dinners to plan, gifts to buy — and family is coming in from out of town. Is it possible to take care of everything and not be completely exhausted by the end of it? While we can’t answer that definitively, we can share a few “holiday hacks” to help you get more out of your time. PUTWORK ASIDE. Give yourself blocks of time to focus on one thing at a time. You may be tempted to multitask, but for your mental health, don’t do it. Focusing on one thing at a time produces better results (this applies equally to cooking as it does to client work) and you’ll feel better through the process. DELEGATE — AT HOME! You delegate assignments at work, so why not do the same at home? Start with your immediate family
HAVE A LAUGH!
FESTIVE APPLE CIDER
Inspired by BoulderLocavore.com
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tsp allspice berries • 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced • 2 tbsp honey • 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 lemon • 1 gallon pure apple cider • 1 large orange, thinly sliced crosswise • 2 tsp whole cloves
DIRECTIONS
1. Using a paring knife, shave the lemon peel off in curls. Reserve the curls and save the lemon for use in a different recipe. 2. In a large slow cooker, combine the lemon peel with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 3–4 hours. 3. If desired, use a sieve to strain the spices. Serve and enjoy!
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
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305-916-6110 www.metalmastershop.com
391 N. Ancestor Pl., Ste. 150 Boise, ID 83704
Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Weekends.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 5 Ways to Safely Bring Your Office Together for the Holidays PAGE 1 Avoid These 2 Mistakes for 2021 Sales Success PAGE 2 Testimonials From Happy Clients PAGE 2 Want to Make Your Holidays a Little Easier? PAGE 3 Festive Apple Cider PAGE 3 Common Pest Control Warning Signs Homeowners Miss PAGE 4
Bugging Out:
Common Pest Control Warning Signs Homeowners Miss
NO. 3: PAY ATTENTION TO WEIRD SCENTS AND SOUNDS. Because we’re accustomed to the smell of our own home, we can identify odd and gross scents. Experts say that mice tend to have a musty urine smell, while rats often smell like ammonia. Any scent of garbage is a bad sign as well, because if it isn’t caused by a pest, it can attract them. Lastly, don’t dismiss odd sounds, like the patter of rodents or even large insects. You may hear scratching on the walls, gnawing, squeaking, or scurrying. NO. 4: CHECK FOR SIGNS OF NESTING. Some pests, like termites, will build homes with natural materials like mud. You can detect termite activity through sagging wood or mud tubes created along the surface of your doors or walls. However, mice and rats may take things from your home to create their nest, including shreds from furniture and other fabric, insulation, pillow stuffing, or anything else they can find.
Pests can be a problem any time of the year, but they can be especially problematic during the winter months when they’re more likely to seek the warmth of the indoors. Stay alert and catch those pests before they become a real problem during your next holiday party! Look for these four common warning signs: NO. 1: CHECK FOR DEAD BUGS OR PEST DROPPINGS INDOORS. If you’ve discovered dead bugs or pest droppings on window ledges or in your basement, do some research to figure out what they are. If the dead bugs and/or droppings are from the same species, chances are that they live on your property. NO. 2: LOOK FOR HOLES, GNAW MARKS, GREASE MARKS, OR TRAILS. Rats and mice tend to travel along the same paths and often leave evidence of their infestation through dark grease marks, urine trails, gnawed items, and prints in dusty paths into small holes. Don’t forget that evidence can be outdoors, too. Pests can burrow in garbage or even piles of leaves near the property.
To protect your family’s health, don’t miss these common pest signs!
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