Mash-up: Most Useful Gmail Labs

WriterGal Mashup: Gmail Labs

Gmail Labs are plug-ins that you can use in your Gmail account. Here is a mashup of my top 5 Gmail Labs:

1. Navbar Drag & Drop

This plugin allows you to reorganize the widgets in your Gmail sidebars. Just like the plugin name, you just “drag and drop.” It allowed me to put the widgets I most commonly use, near the top of my sidebars, making it faster to access what I need. Very easy to use!

2. Create a document

I haven’t used this one as much as I thought, but I can see how it can be useful. This plugin will create a Google document from an active email message with one click. Great if you want to save important information. Very easy to use!

3. Send & Archive

This plugin allows you automatically archive an email after you send it. You just press the “Send & Archive” button instead of the normal “Send” button. I’ve found this a great way to control the content in my Inbox. Very easy to use!

4. Undo Send

We’ve all regretted pressing the “Send” button at some time or another. This plugin gives you a few seconds to cancel the email if you changed your mind, found a mistake, or forgot to include something in the message (like an attachment). Very easy, extremely handy, to use!

5. Blank Canvas Gmail Signatures

Do you send mail from multiple email addresses? This is not actually a Gmail lab, but a FireFox plugin that works with Gmail. It allows you to have multiple signatures so each email address can have a unique signature. I’ve found this one a bit buggy (I often have to close then re-open my browser window for the signature to appear), but it works more often than not. Easy to use, but a bit buggy sometimes.

Those were my top 5 favourite Gmail Labs and add-ons. What Gmail Labs can you not live without?

Gmail Sidenote: Did you notice that you can now click on the “To” field to bring up your contacts in a “Compose Mail” view? It’s funny to think that this is a new thing because it seems pretty standard.

Vancouver Business Location FAIL

While you sip your Sunday morning coffee, take a look at my first FAIL picture. I’ve driven down this street many times, and the other day I finally took my camera with me to get this shot:

The picture speaks for itself...Business Location FAIL!!

Do you have any local (Vancouver) FAIL pictures to share?

Great Customer Service: Blenz Coffee, Davie & Bute

Most coffee shop barista’s are friendly. I had an exceptionally friendly one at Blenz Coffee at Davie & Bute in downtown Vancouver yesterday.

After ordering my coffee from the Barista, she commented on my necklace (a blue, blown glass heart pendant). I mentioned that I got it in Venice. She said “Oh, that must be Murano Glass right? I loved Venice.”

After ordering my coffee, I sat down to wait for a colleague to arrive. It was slow in Blenz at the time. Since I had about 10-15 minutes before my colleague was to arrive, I casually asked the Barista when she was last in Venice. We each shared memories from our respective trips, between customers who came for their coffee.

Fifteen minutes later, my colleague arrived and we were still chatting about Europe!

Examples of Great Customer Service

During my time in the Blenz coffee shop, I noticed 3 great examples of exceptional customer service:

1. Friendliness: The Barista was very friendly and made a successful attempt to relate to her customer (me).
2. Attention to Detail: She saw a “regular” customer walk in and started making his coffee right away.
3. Attentiveness: When a customer would enter the store, she would turn her attention to the customer and give them her undivided attention.

I’ve seen similar examples of great customer service at other coffee shops before. I mention this as a specific example that stands out from the rest. I’ve noticed some customer service staff attempt “small talk” with customers, but it often seems forced or fake. The conversation yesterday seemed genuine and I think we both enjoyed listening to each other’s stories.

Thank-you to the barista at the Blenz Coffee on Davie & Bute in Vancouver. I enjoyed chatting with you!

20 Things You Don’t Know About Me

I see these “lists” all the time on Facebook, but this is my first time doing one myself. I know it’s silly and has no real value for anyone else, unless you’re interested in learning some interesting facts about my life, but it was kinda fun to find 20 misc facts about my life:

1. # of times at Disneyland: so many I lost count (including Anaheim, Paris, and Tokyo)
2. # of countries visited in lifetime: 19
3. # of countries visited in past 2 years: 14
4. # of US States I have visited: 10
5. # of Canadian Provinces Visited: 2
6. Girl Guides of Canada member: 13 years
7. First job after graduating College: Editor of a new lifestyle magazine.
8. First job ever: Receptionist for an engineering company (at age 15).
9. I lived in Australia for 5 months.
10. 5 years ago I didn’t understand why anyone would want to “blog” their lives.
11. The company I worked for in high-school went bankrupt, and forgot to tell me I was laid off (everyone else knew though).
12. I have green eyes.
13. I never got straight-A’s in school (came close a few times though).
14. I love oldies music (50s and 60s).
15. I cried during the last episodes of ER and Friends.
16. In high-school I took extra-curricular Drama, including a part in an abridged Richard III.
17. I love Ikea!
18. When I go to a restaurant, I always edit the menu and cringe at spelling mistakes.
19. A good fart joke will crack me up!
20. I can’t watch “Chicken Run” because their big teeth freak me out!

What interesting facts do you have about yourself?

Free Vancouver Canucks Fan Pack

Fin is giving away Canucks Fan Packs. I've ordered mine! Have you? (Photo: WriterGal)

Are you a Vancouver Canucks fan? By entering your name and address they will mail you a special “one-of-a-kind” fan pack which includes:

• 4 player cards (chosen at random),
• a Canucks sticker, and
• a tattoo.

I just ordered mine! You can get yours on the Vancouver Canucks Website.

I’ll post pictures of the Fan Pack, when it arrives, on the WriterGal blog. Stay tuned!

GO CANUCKS GO!

WriterGal Guest Blog on Granville Online

WriterGal (Ashley Mikulik) was a guest blogger for Granville Online on Tuesday. The Online editor of Granville Magazine asked if I would like to be a guest blogger and post my article about Richmond Country Farms on their website.

Of course I said YES!

Here is the article posted on their site: Granville Magazine Vancouver.

Below are some photos from the market. Enjoy!

WriterGal Using Social Media to Promote Flight Centre Contest Entry

[Download PDF of this Press Release: Flight Centre US Photo Contest]

Using Social Media to Promote Flight Centre Contest Entry

Vancouver Photographer, WriterGal, Makes Top 15 List For Photo Contest

For Immediate Release

WriterGal's photo in the Flight Centre US Photo Contest

Vancouver BC-August 25, 2009: Yesterday, Vancouver amateur photographer WriterGal (aka Ashley Mikulik) was announced as one of 15 finalists in the Flight Centre US Photo Contest and she will be using her social media networks to promote her entry and get votes.

Her photo of Donald Duck near Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is one of 15 photos that you can vote for in this contest. “The top photo, as voted by you, will walk away with a cool prize pack courtesy of our friends at MOO and earworms and the gang here at Flight Centre,” says the Flight Centre Blog.

“This is the first photo contest I’ve entered and I’m super excited about the response I’ve gotten on day 1 of voting,” says WriterGal, “I know first-hand the power that social networking can have so I’ve been promoting my photo on Twitter, Facebook, my personal blog, and local forums.” She is hoping that the local community, as well as her network of family and friends, can help her win.

Voting will take place on the Flight Centre Blog. Anyone can vote, but you are only allowed 1 vote per IP address, per day. Voting ends on Aug 31.

“I’ve had success promoting through social media sites like Twitter,” says WriterGal, “They are amazing places to connect with new people, share fun websites, and socialize.”

“I’m still somewhat of a newbie at photography, so I’m really excited that I’m a finalist. Hopefully this will encourage other hobbyist photographers. Even people like us can shoot great photos!”

About WriterGal (Ashley Mikulik)

Ashley Mikulik (aka WriterGal) just launched The WriterGal Blog (www.writergal.ca), where she shares her experiences about living in Vancouver as well as marketing, communications, social media, and website tips for small businesses. Ashley is a professional writer, editor, and designer who “dabbles” in photography and videography. She also maintains a Flickr account with her best photos (www.flickr.com/photos/writergal).

Media Contact
Ashley Mikulik
Email: ashley@writergal.ca
Website: www.writergal.ca

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Help 2 Vancouver Photographers win the Flight Centre Photo Contest!

UPDATE: Aug 25 @3:30pm: As of right now I am ranked 3rd in the Flight Centre US Travel Contest. I appreciate all your votes so far, don’t forget to vote for @WriterGal 39 (picture #13…lucky#13) every day!

Hello to all our friends across the globe! Dan and I need your votes in the Flight Centre US Travel Contest. Wouldn’t it be great for 2 fresh, young Vancouver photographers to win this contest?

Three of our photos are in top 15:

Vote for our pictures to help us win the contest!

Why We Want to WIN

We’re both amateur photographers and a win in this contest could give us a little push when we go professional (soon) with our photography. It would be a great boost for ourselves and our future business.

Part of the prize is a $500 travel voucher for US travel. Dan and I are doing a US road trip in September/October and we’d love to use it towards some attractions or nicer accommodation (right now we’re planning to camp most of the way).

If We Win…

If we win, I will blog about all the cool prizes (including whatever trip we take on the voucher). Plus, you know you’ll see some great photos of us using the $500 voucher (all of which will be posted on the WrtierGal Blog, our Flickr accounts, and will be Tweeted on Twitter). I’ll even throw in some video coverage of our adventures!

Please help us win the Flight Centre US Travel Contest!

Please vote for any of our pictures in the contest. The rules state 1 vote per IP address per day.

• Vote for us at home
• Vote for us at work
• Vote for us at Starbucks, Blenz or your favourite coffee bar
• Vote for us on your friends computers.

Then do it all again the next day, please! Voting ends on Aug 31.

Thank you for all your support! Please help 2 Vancouver Photographers win this contest!

Sincerely,

Ashley Mikulik (@WriterGal39), and Dan Doan (@dandoan)

Being Available 24-7: Good or Bad for Business?

I have found a way to be productive AND available almost 24-7 for my clients

I’ve been reading many sources that say you shouldn’t keep your email open all day. They suggest having your email program turned off, except during dedicated blocks of time where you can focus entirely on emails.

I see both sides of the argument, but I’m going explain why having my email open all day, has benefited me and my clients.

Email Open During “Select” Times

Many people have suggested that you can be more productive if you don’t have your email open all day. I understand this helps you to dedicate and focus on your tasks-at-hand. In this respect I see the value in their suggestion.

However, as a small business owner, I feel it would actually be bad for my business.

Email Open ALL day

Yes, I have my email open ALL day. I also get emails pushed to my blackberry when I’m out or in the kitchen. The only times I am ‘not’ available is when I’m sleeping or at a family event (like dinner or a family outing). I think my clients appreciate that when they email me, I usually respond within a few minutes of receiving their email.

I have one client who emails their entire bank of freelancers when they need help with a project…the first to respond get’s it. For clients like these, I am able to respond, within seconds or minutes, resulting in me getting the project.

Of course I do let some emails slide, without an immediate response. But ones that have a question or query, I endeavor to respond right away, especially when it’s related to an approaching deadline.

Basically, I think that my clients appreciate the fact that I can respond right away to their queries. It has also resulted in being awarded contracts that are on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Why 24-7 works for me…

While it may mean temporary unproductive-ness during certain hours of the day, I  compensate with my work schedule. I am most productive in the afternoon and late evenings (when less emails come in) and I also often work on weekends when even less emails come in.

Also, first impressions with new clients are important. As a freelancer, I always need to be “selling” myself and looking for work. I am able to quickly respond to new client queries, and get right back to my existing work. Basically, I found a way to be productive and always (well, almost always) available.

PS: I am not a work-a-holic, so please don’t send me links to therapy sites. If you are a freelancer or are self-employed you know what I mean. I still have lots of time for my hobbies (including baking/cooking, photography, videography,and travel).

Casual Portraits @ Ambleside Park

Do you think the camera hates you? I used to think that, then I had Vancouver Photographer Dan Doan (@DanDoan on twitter) take some casual headshots of me at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver.

I was totally impressed. They turned out really good, although there were a few that I’ll save for my private blooper reel. My goal was for a casual shot that I could use as a bio picture for an upcoming guest bog post on another local website (I’ll post the link when it’s up).

Here is a sampling of some of the best photos from that afternoon:

You can post your praise of Dan’s photos here, or you can follow him on Twitter (@dandoan). Be sure to say you found him though the WriterGal Blog.